The Latest

Today, the Ontario Court of Appeal handed down six decisions that uphold and strengthen Ontario’s 2015 anti-SLAPP lawdesigned to ensure that defamation suits are not misused as a tool to silence discussion on matters in the public interest.

Co-authored by Maggie FitzGerald. Unpopular opinion: We love to be catcalled. It can be friendly or flirtatious. Affirming or exciting. For some, afleeting moment of eroticism. 

The broad-shouldered man sitting in a front-row chair leaned over and looked fiercely at me.  “I’m a mean guy.” He looked as though he could snap logs in half with his bare hands. When I unexpectedly laughed, his features softened. He said he was also a “helper,” attending what was advertised recently as a “compelled speech” panel, in case security needed support dealing with protesters.  He pointed to the security men, who were wearing suits but standing alertly, at each corner of the large auditorium packed with more than 700 people.

Being a whistleblower in Canada is tough. The Canadian legal framework with respect to whistleblowing is a hodgepodge of different laws and regulations, none of which historically have been very effective. The frameworks differ with respect to whether the whistleblower is in the federal or provincial jurisdiction, in the public or private sector or depending on the type of information being disclosed.