Defend the right to speak out

Corporations are increasingly using Canadian courts and the threat of costly lawsuits to intimidate and silence people from speaking out about matters that affect the environment — including risky tar sands pipelines, unsafe mining practices, fish farming, waste processing plants and building developments. The use of the courts to silence critics is known as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).

Quebec has had legislation against SLAPP suits since 2009, and Ontario adopted anti-SLAPP legislation in 2015. Now it's time to enact legislation to protect free speech in British Columbia.

While in opposition, the BC NDP attempted on a number of occasions to pass an anti-SLAPP law in the Legislature. However, as the governing party, the BC NDP is now positioned to enact a real anti-SLAPP law.

An anti-SLAPP law in BC will provide important protections for our democratic rights — and this legislation must be based on an open public consultation process. We are calling on the BC government to revisit this important legislation, and hold a fair, open consultation process to ensure that it is done right.

Join us — tell Premier John Horgan and Attorney General David Eby to put anti-SLAPP legislation back on BC's agenda.