Superior Court judge gives damages to people targeted by SLAPP suit
I was counsel in this case. I represented the newspaper publisher defendant. On Friday, I heard we won our SLAPP motion. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who are the former mayor and deputy mayor of the Town of the Blue Mountains, west of Collingwood, have been ordered to pay all of the lawyers’ bills and $10,000 in damages. I rarely
Random Notes on Coverage of the 2019 Canadian Federal Election
Just a few random notes as the federal election campaign kicks off. I’ve had a very busy last few weeks with my law practice, and have been tossing some ideas around in my spare time. Here’s a look at some of this campaign’s challenges to the public’s right to know: The Hill media The aging of the Parliamentary Press Gallery
Cartoonist Michael de Adder says he was fired for this
Michael de Adder is the best editorial cartoonist in Canada. Like cartoons themselves, that’s a subjective statement. His style, which I like, may not be for everyone. His toughness and lack of respect for entrenched power, might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But cartoons are not always meant to be funny. They evoke elements of recognition. The best of
Jesse Brown’s latest flop: making $20 by attacking a charity
I didn’t start this site to talk about Jesse Brown. It’s really supposed to be about the intersection of media, law and politics. But damn, when Canadaland is bad, it’s really the worst political/news site in Canada. I have been following his campaign against WE Charity, which is an organization I deeply believe in. And I won’t let go. The
It’s about Jesse Brown’s money
An overview: The Government of Canada’s proposed $600 million media tax credit has dominated news blogs and chatrooms.[1] At the heart of the criticism is whether the temptation of dollars will influence coverage of the government.[2] I’ve taught journalism and media studies at Concordia University and the history of media propaganda at Carleton University. I underscore for my students the
The Return of Sec. 13 of the Canadian Human Right Act?
The House Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights has published a report about hateful expression on the Internet. The committee presented its report — Taking Action to End Online Hate — to the House of Commons on June 17, 2019. The committee recommends the government amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to restore Sec. 13, which made hate speech against designated
How did pot get banned in Canada? This is one time when you can blame the media
Marijuana prohibition in Canada was imposed because of a belief among early 20th century decision-makers that social ills could be reduced, or even eliminated, by government action.[1] Senior politicians, media, and progressive elements in society, especially women’s activists, social reformers and farmers’ movements, also accepted the premise that marijuana was a dangerous drug that should be prohibited.[2] This acceptance by
Canada considers new hate crimes regime
I am not going to do an analysis on this topic now. I have a conflict of interest because of my wife’s employer. However, other people have done solid coverage on this. Thanks to Richard Franklin Carter for these links: Kathleen Harris of CBC News reports: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justice-committee-online-hate-steyn-1.5161259 In the Law Times, Gabrielle Giroday reports: https://www.lawtimesnews.com/author/gabrielle-giroday/combating-online-hate-could-mean-legal-change-17280/ Marc Montgomery of Radio Canada International
Here’s an anniversary you won’t hear about: it’s 100 years since World War I’s press censorship ended
(This is adapted from a piece I wrote for Maclean’s magazine earlier this year. The piece is about censorship, but the real topic is the value of news — even when that news is bad. Press censorship was extended after the end of the First World War while the government was trying to crush what it believed to be a
Canadian Border Services Agency’s New List of Banned (and Awful but not Banned) Publications
Quarterly List of Admissible and Prohibited Titles by Canadian Border Services Agency This report contains a list of titles reviewed by the Prohibited Importations Unit (PIU), Program Compliance and Outreach Division, at Headquarters in Ottawa, during the period January 1 to March 31, 2019. Titles for which a determination was rendered in accordance with section 58 of the Customs