Access to justice, Canada, Public law
Leave a comment

Anti-SLAPP: Will Ontario follow Quebec’s lead?

A free-standing statute with focused remedies such as an expedited review process and a statutory recognition of qualified privilege anchor a series of comprehensive recommendations made by a blue-ribbon panel of legal experts who are calling on the Ontario government to enact legislation to crack down on strategic lawsuits against public participation, otherwise known as SLAPPs.

In the wake of rising concerns over the growing use of litigation to silence critics who speak out on matters of public concern, notably in environmental disputes, the advisory panel appointed by the Attorney General of Ontario recommends new legislation, distinct from existing rules, that would “help to encourage” courts to apply remedies to protect expression on matters of public interest from undue interference.

Read More

This story was originally published in The Lawyer’s Daily.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *