News September 10, 2020

Supreme Court upholds Ontario Anti-SLAPP Legislation

The Centre for Free Expression, along with co-intervenors Canadian Association of Journalists and CWA-Canada, welcome today's Supreme Court's unanimous judgment in 1704604 Ontario Ltd. v. Pointes Protection Association which upholds Ontario's anti-SLAPP legislation and makes some important clarifications about how specific legislative provisions should be interpreted and applied.

The court indicated that "public interest", a requirement for a motion to succeed in dismissing a SLAPP suit, must be given a broad and liberal interpretation. The court also reformulated what plaintiffs must do to avoid having their cases dismissed, specifically requirements to establish that their actions have “substantial merit” and that defendants have “no valid defence”

The overall impact of the decision will be to strengthen the ability of defendants to succeed in having SLAPP suits dismissed.

Blog November 15, 2024

Why I will no longer post on Elon Musk’s X

The Guardian’s decision earlier this week to stop posting on X finally prompted me to take the same step, one I have been contemplating for some time. Whereas the decision of the Guardian, which has 27-million followers, is consequential, my decision (with my 1,018 followers) is not. Still, for me, it is important to dissociate myself from what Musk has made of X.

James L Turk

Internet and Social Media, Disinformation, Freedom of Expression & Its Limits

Blog October 28, 2024

A concept of peaceful assembly under s.2(c) of the Charter

Courtesy of the Rouleau Commission I developed a late-onset interest in freedom of peaceful assembly (FPA) and s.2(c) of the Charter. Since then it has been an ongoing concern to me that in more than forty years s.2(c) has not received an authoritative interpretation, much less been considered or discussed in any depth by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Jamie Cameron

Freedom of Expression & Its Limits

Blog October 18, 2024

What if Charter Values Mattered?

Universities have property rights. Are they entitled, as a consequence, to exclude others at will? Are property rights, especially those exercised by public institutions like universities, different from homeowners or shop owners?

David Schneiderman

Freedom of Expression & Its Limits