Conservative website shuttered after libel ruling

[Purple Sage]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Conservative+website+shuttered+after+libel+ruling/9441201/story.html

OTTAWA — The online political forum, Free Dominion, has shut down after a wholesale defeat in a libel case brought by Ottawa human rights lawyer Richard Warman.

A jury concluded that Warman was maliciously defamed by four commentators on Free Dominion, a website that bills itself as “the voice of principled conservatism.”

Warman has been awarded more than $127,000 in general damages, aggravated damages, punitive damages and court costs because of 41 defamatory statements published on the conservative website in 2007.

Warman rose to prominence during the past decade by using the Canadian Human Rights Act to shut down the websites of people spreading hate speech; it made him the target of free speech advocates in the conservative blogosphere, and on websites such as Free Dominion.

In a recently released decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Smith granted Warman a permanent injunction that prohibits Free Dominion from ever repeating “in any manner whatsoever” any of the 41 defamations.

Connie Fournier (conniew) stated on FR that the server was in Panama, but they live in Canada.  She summed it up by saying that if you are a forum admin in Canada and someone posts on your site a negative comment about another, the admin is liable and has no recourse or defense.  They closed their site due to the ruling because if a single commenter said something about the case, they would be in contempt.

The comments were never opened in the Ottawa Citizen article.  Connie says that sites all over Canada are shutting down comments out of fear.

Freedom of Speech is completely gone in Canada.  We must guard ours here.

I put this in Breaking News because I didn't know where to put it.  Please move it to wherever it belongs.

[Eupher]

It's definitely an eye-opener, but yeah -- Canada doesn't have a First Amendment.

Even Larry Flynt can spew his garbage and have it defended by the Supreme Court. It seems to me that political defamation/negative comments made by anybody toward a public servant should not only be allowed, it should be welcomed.

[Dori]

It's definitely an eye-opener, but yeah -- Canada doesn't have a First Amendment.

Even Larry Flynt can spew his garbage and have it defended by the Supreme Court. It seems to me that political defamation/negative comments made by anybody toward a public servant should not only be allowed, it should be welcomed.

Ever read comments on twitter, face book, you tube, news outlets, etc. etc. etc. ? There would be no end to the lawsuits. 

 

 
 

[thundley4]

Liberals would love to have the first amendment apply only to them.

[Purple Sage]

Liberals would love to have the first amendment apply only to them.

They're drooling at the thought of shutting down Conservative speech as "hate speech."

[BattleHymn]

How many primitives will have a wet dream tonight imagining the same thing happening to CC? 

[Eupher]

They're drooling at the thought of shutting down Conservative speech as "hate speech."

I had a running exchange on FB with a former colleague who, when challenged to respond more specifically to my questions about Barry's foreign policy record rather than his usual lofty, theoretical, rhetorical bullshit, he got mad and dropped off the thread.

Later, I encountered one of his laments:

"Why do some people have to be such haters?"

Gotta love them libs!  

[Dori]

I had a running exchange on FB with a former colleague who, when challenged to respond more specifically to my questions about Barry's foreign policy record rather than his usual lofty, theoretical, rhetorical bullshit, he got mad and dropped off the thread.

Later, I encountered one of his laments:

"Why do some people have to be such haters?"

Gotta love them libs!  

Of course, if you challenge their facts, or disagree with them, then you have to be a hater.

[blitzkrieg_17]

I read this on FR last night and I can't say I'm too surprised, sadly.

[NHSparky]

How "progressive" of Canada.  How's that free speech thingy working out for you, Canuckistan?

[SaintLouieWoman]

I had a running exchange on FB with a former colleague who, when challenged to respond more specifically to my questions about Barry's foreign policy record rather than his usual lofty, theoretical, rhetorical bullshit, he got mad and dropped off the thread.

Later, I encountered one of his laments:

"Why do some people have to be such haters?"

Gotta love them libs!  

I'm still trying to get used to all the libs around Sarasota. I'm from a red state. So many of the NY and NJ libs have moved here. SR tells me that the Sarasota area used to have mostly folks from the Midwest here and it was solidly Republican.

The utter disdain of the progressive/libs here is amazing. They almost sneer at me when they figure out how conservative I am. And they don't seem to hold themselves back, but think their opinions are so much better than mine that they can just dismiss my thoughts as worthless. It's taking a lot of adjustment. The weather here is nice, there are some wonderful people here, but there are too many libs here for my taste. Their arrogance is amazing.

[Mr Mannn]

This is the ONLY reason hate crimes were created: to outlaw opposition speech.
Democrat fascists cannot tolerate any dissent to their enlightened rule. In spite of all their cameras and internet monitoring, we will still find a way to spread the word. Thumbnail drives are easy to conceal and pass on, Cubans have been using them for years to bypass the secret police.   

[Gern]

Chilling, really. 

[NHSparky]

Chilling, really. 

You should be chilled.  Remember, we have a pres__ent who has, as his stated intent, bypassing Congress to enact his own set of laws, and a vocal following in Congress all too willing to surrender their Constitutional duty and authority to allow him to do just that.

If we have that, the Constitution and the Republic is in greater danger than any of us realize.

[JohnnyReb]

You should be chilled.  Remember, we have a pres__ent who has, as his stated intent, bypassing Congress to enact his own set of laws, and a vocal following in Congress all too willing to surrender their Constitutional duty and authority to allow him to do just that.

If we have that, the Constitution and the Republic is in greater danger than any of us realize.

And he can suspend election law if he so choses....he's suspended others why not election laws.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0aVD79mcwE

[AllosaursRus]

Liberals would love to have the first amendment apply only to them.

EXACTLY! Free speech for me but not for thee! The liberal constitution! Twats! At least here, they would have to come after and individual, not the collective.

How many primitives will have a wet dream tonight imagining the same thing happening to CC?  

What do they claim their current membership is?

"Here's yer sign".