Category:Communiques

From Ad IDEM / CMLA

• In 2001, the Federal Government was busy. Bill C-7, the Youth Criminal Justice Act passed the House of Commons on May 29, 2001 and had first reading in the Senate on the next day.
• Amendments to s. 163.1 of the Criminal Code dealing with child pornography would make criminals of those who access such material through the internet for themselves. See Bill C-15.
• Amendments to s. 486 of the Code to protect justice system participants involve new publication bans set out in Bill C-24.
  • Journalists are now also protected from intimidation.
  • Jurors identities are to be protected in certain circumstances.
  • Bill C-24 passed final reading in the House of Commons on June 13, 2001 and had first reading in the Senate the next day.

Protecting Public Discussion

Under the NDP, the B.C. Legislature passed Bill 10 which would have permitted considerably greater latitude for "communication or conduct aimed at influencing public opinion, or promoting or furthering lawful action by the public or by any government body, in relation to an issue of public interest". A new qualified privilege was set up in defamation law for such a communication no matter how many people received it. The law also set up a mechanism for summary dismissal of actions. See: Protection of Public Participation Act. Unfortunately, the new Liberal government promptly repealed the legislation on assuming office.

Responsible Communication Defense applied in an Ontario Jury Trial

On September 13, 2010, David Helwig News Director of SooToday.com wrote about a decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to dismiss a libel claim against the same news website as well as the Sault Ste. Marie Police. Justice Edware Koke noted that this was one of the first Jury cases to rely upon "responsible communication."

David Helwig's full story available at: Sootoday.com