2018 June 10

Paramount Fine Foods v Johnston, 2018 ONSC 3711

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed an application by the defendant Banerjee for a dismissal of the defamation claims against him pursuant to section 1371.1 of the Courts of Justice Act (Anti-Slapp provision).  The alleged defamation related to the posting of eight video-clips of a public demonstration outside the plaintiff’s restaurant on the Internet on Freedomreport.ca and YouTube.   The Court held that the impugned remarks of the defendant share “all the essential hallmarks and attributes of an expression that is not worthy of protection under the anti-SLAPP provision.”  “Merely uttering something in a forum or at an event where matters of public interest are being discussed does not make the expression a matter of public interest within the meaning of s. 137.1.”