Feel the Silence
In December 2007, mid-way through the saga that was the 2008 Presidential primary season, you would have had to look long and hard to find an American that was more engaged in the political process than me. Sadly, the bulk of my free time was spent consuming the news cycle and pinging Kyle about how the day’s drama should play out here at Comments from Left Field. Fast forward six months and you would be pressed to find someone less interested than me.
Oh, Canada! Here Comes the Manufactured ‘Pro-Life’ Outrage
Hot on the heels of the recent bestowing of the Canadian Labour Congress’ Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, CBC News reports that pioneering abortion rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler is now slated to be appointed to the Order of Canada:
Uncle Steve Awarded Human Rights Medal (Say What?!)
“I wonder how long it will take them to figure out that my name isn’t ‘Stephen Lewis’?”
Supreme Court of Canada Unanimously Defrosts Libel Chill
The media should not live in constant fear of facing a libel suit every time a provocative commentary is published or broadcast, the Supreme Court of Canada said yesterday in a major ruling won by controversial Vancouver radio broadcaster Rafe Mair.
In a 9-0 decision that modernizes the defence of fair comment, the court found that Mr. Mair did not defame Christian-values advocate Kari Simpson when he denounced her stand on a book-banning controversy.
“An individual’s reputation is not to be treated as regrettable but unavoidable roadkill on the highway of public controversy, but nor should an overly solicitous regard for personal reputation be permitted to ‘chill’ freewheeling debate on matters of public interest,” Mr. Justice Ian Binnie said.
Judge Binnie said that the key to a defence of honest belief - particularly in an era when extravagant overstatement is common - should lie in whether an honest person could have held the same opinion.
“We live in a free country, where people have as much right to express outrageous and ridiculous opinions as moderate ones,” Judge Binnie said. “In much modern media, personalities such as Rafe Mair are as much entertainers as journalists.”
Score one for the chronically hyperbolic Canadian media personalities who live and die on the alter of outrageous and ridiculous opinions (ahem).
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