In a recently released decision, the Supreme Court of Canada reaffirmed the important role of anti-SLAPP legislation in protecting those who speak out on matters of public interest and against whom legal action is taken. In particular, the Court made clear that so called “counter-speech” seeking to defend a vulnerable group weighs in favour of protection.
A new report, Global Anti-SLAPP Ratings: Assessing the strength of anti-SLAPP laws, compares and ranks the strength of anti-SLAPP laws in the world’s 37 jurisdictions that offer legal protection against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) – legal actions launched to shut down discussion and critical commentary on issues of public interest.