Fort McKay Métis Community Association v. Morin
Case Law- Country
- Country Location
Latitude: 62.07067909300361
Longitude: -107.72231232402085
- Country Location (linked Case Law)
- Canada
- Decision Date
- Mar 18, 2019
- Case Status
- Closed
- Case Outcome (Procedural)
- Motion Denied
- Case Outcome (Disposition)
- Administrative or Provisional Measures Restricting FoE
- Keywords
- Defamation
- Judicial Body
- First Instance Court
- Case Number
- 2019 ABQB 185 CanLii
- Case Summary
The Court of Queen's Bench in Alberta, Canada refused to set aside a notice of default against an individual who had posted a defamatory video on Facebook and who had not filed a Statement of Defence in response to the defamation suit brought against her. The Court dismissed the individual's arguments that she had been intimidated by the legal process and that she had defences of truth and qualified privilege against the claim of defamation, holding that she had made no effort to ascertain the truth of the video's claims and that a Facebook post is not covered by qualified privilege. The Court stressed that "irresponsible social media posts" can lead to legal consequences and that “[c]ontrary to the belief of many, the Rule of Law applies to the internet … [i]t is not some kind of untamed frontier” [para. 1].
- Case Significance
The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.
- Source URL
- Columbia Global Freedom of Expression