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on July 18, 2006 at 5:19:00 pm
 

(The password for this wiki is "rivoli")

 

Goals

 

To hold a roundtable discussion on the problems with Canada's defamation & libel laws preventing online freedom of speech, threatening bloggers with frivolous, hard-to-defend lawsuits. Invite media to raise awareness. Panel discussion followed by an audience Q&A.

 

Stop the Blog Suit

 

Where & When

 

Centre for Social Innovation

215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 120

3 rooms booked via Phillip Smith, from 3 - 5PM. Three rooms can hold about

30 - 40 (tight) people theatre style.

 

Post-roundtable, there is a fundraiser being held around the corner at the Rivoli, organized by Fading Ways Music's Neil Leyton, for Jon Newton (p2pnet)'s defence fund. Jon is being sued by Kazaa's Nikki Hemming, for libel. Performers at the Rivoli are: Kobotown, Neil Leyton, Lindy, Aceface, Dennis O'Toole, and Jon Newton.

 

Participants

 

 

Suggested Topics

 

  • US journalism libel exception/protection extended to bloggers; UK government loses "McLibel" suit at the European Court of Human Rights; and how these international precedent-setting cases might apply to Canadian law.
  • Current Canadian position on liability of the host for comments
  • Should the law of defamation survive in a world in which anyone and everyone can have their own soapbox to respond to criticism and comment?
  • (Others to be added)

 

Planning Notes

 

  • Room configuration and facilities
    • Set up should include a podium or head table
    • Questions about mic'ing participants for a real-time stream or podcast
    • Wireless access - provided by WirelessToronto
  • Press releases and publicity
    • The goal should be to cross-promote the concert/fundraiser event at the Rivoli along with the round table
    • Access to traditional PR services, including Canadian Newswire
    • Non-traditional sources including Joey deVilla and Cory Doctorow

 

 

Links to resources

 

 

 

Petition suggestion (Jon):

 

Below for you to shred : ) are some thoughts on a possible petition we could launch and hand out at the roundtable and benefit.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw attention of the House to the following:

 

THAT 21st century communications technology now allows anyone, anywhere in the world, to reach international audiences previously only accessible by commercial print and electronic media;

 

THAT, given the huge and dynamic expansion of communications technologies with particular regard to peer-to-peer applications, the bedrock principle of Freedom of Speech must be protected more vigorously than ever before;

 

THAT Freedom of Expression is the fundamental right of anyone, anywhere. No one should be barred from speak freely on any subject, and by any and all means available now or in the future, for fear of censorship or other hinderances;

 

THAT an accused person is presumed innocent of any allegation until proven otherwise. This is fundamental to all human rights, second only to the right of every person to be able to express themselves freely and, if desired, anonymously;

 

THAT any on- or offline publication must be free to allow, and re-publish, comments, anonymous or named, without fear; and,

 

THAT the Canadian Charter of Rights enshrines freedom of expression, and even the ancient law of defamation needs to be respectful of the above fundamental freedoms.

 

ACCORDINGLY, your petitioners call upon parliament to immediately take steps to ensure a cross-provincial group is formed to ensure:

 

THAT a uniform Defamation Act is adopted online and province-to-province which remedies the archaic aspects of the existing law so the onus is placed squarely on plaintiffs to show they have been defamed;

 

THAT is is the right of plaintiffs to remain anonymous until such time as defamation has been proven in court; and

 

THAT the Criminal Code which still has the crime of "defamatory libel" is erased.

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