Media giant Canwest files suit over parody of Vancouver Sun, threatens free speech

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News Flash: Spoof NY Times coverage and The curious case of Q (Yes Men open door to Sun parody, Q host slams it shut – 4min in) Email Q@CBC.ca
News Flash: Canwest drops lawsuit against political activist, rabble/redeye
News Flash: Israel, Palestine and the media plus Part 1 (therealnews.com)
New Section: Canwest’s SLAPP suit and the Big Media Chill
New Support: PEN Canada issues statement of support
New Honourary Members of the Seriously Free Speech Committee:
– Cindy and Craig Corrie, Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice*
- Adrienne Wong, co-artistic director, neworld theatre*
- Mel Hurtig, author
Click for a complete list of the committee’s honourary members*

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Canwest: Media Bully

VANCOUVER- In a direct attack on freedom of expression, Canwest has launched an unprecedented civil lawsuit against local activists. They are being sued for “conspiring” to produce and distribute a four-page parody of the Vancouver Sun which satirised Canwest’s biased coverage of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

Canwest is the largest media corporation in Canada. In 2003, Canwest’s founder, Izzy Asper, boasted “In all of our newspapers… we have a very pro-Israeli position…” A 2008 editorial in Canwest’s flagship National Post declared that “Israel is blameless” for the killing of Palestinian children by Israeli army shelling and referred to the “Palestinian people as one collective suicide bomber”.

Instead of respecting Canadians’ right to free speech, Canwest is abusing the courts to try to silence criticism of its editorial position. It’s a classic SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), an attempt to bully and intimidate critics by forcing them to pay huge legal costs to defend against a politically motivated lawsuit.

The Seriously Free Speech Committee was formed to resist this bullying – demanding that Canwest drop their lawsuit and supporting an open debate on Israel and Palestine.

In response to our international campaign, Canwest recently dropped their legal action against Mordecai Briemberg who distributed but did not produce the parody. Calling it a “significant victory,” Mordecai said Canwest’s strategy has backfired. “Instead of silencing our voices, it amplified them.” The Seriously Free Speech campaign will continue until Canwest also abandons their suit against Gordon Murray and Carel Moiseiwitsch.

Canwest’s misuse of the courts to attack free speech highlights the need for anti-SLAPP legislation to ensure a free public debate on contentious issues. Please join concerned citizens around the world in supporting the Seriously Free Speech campaign.

As the Supreme Court of Canada said in its June 2008 unanimous decision about freedom of expression, “the law must accommodate commentators such as the satirist or the cartoonist who… exercise a democratic right to poke fun at those who huff and puff in the public arena.”

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What happened

A parody of the Vancouver Sun, highlighting its pro-Israel bias, was distributed in June 2007. Six months later, Canwest launched a suit, against a long-time advocate for the rights of Palestinians, even though he did nothing more than hand out a few copies at a bus stop. In July 2008, Canwest added two more names, members of the Palestine Media Collective who went public on why they did it. Read more…

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The parody

There is a long and rich history of political parodies that skewer the rich and powerful. Read more…

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Legal process leads to witch hunt

Canwest’s suit claims a commercial violation of trade mark, as if a political parody is the same thing as a Nike knock-off. Read more…

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Who are the defendants?

Carel Moiseiwitsch and Gordon Murray produced the parody after a trip to the occupied Palestinian territories. Both Carel and Gordon have worked for indigenous rights around the world for many years. Former defendant Mordecai Briemberg, is one of the hosts of Co-op Radio’s Redeye program and a founder of the Canada-Palestine Network. Mordecai has spent a life-time working for peace and justice for both Palestinians and Jews. Read more…

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Who is Canwest?

If you read or watch the news in Canada, chances are that you read or watch news selected, edited, and shaped by Canwest. The largest media conglomerate in the country, Canwest owns national, metropolitan and community newspapers as well as the Global Television network. Read more…

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Who are the Seriously Free Speech Committee?

The committee was formed by individuals deeply concerned about a giant media corporation using the courts in an attempt to silence opposing views. Members work to raise awareness of the dangers of media concentration, and the importance of a full and open discussion of all points of view around the contentious issues of the Middle East, and to raise funds to cover the legal costs. Read more…

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Why should you care?

This is a classic SLAPP suit – a legal suit launched by the rich and powerful to bully critics and shut down public discussion. If they can bully Mordecai, Carel and Gordon, they can bully you. Read more…

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What can you do?

Tell everyone you know, get your group to pass a resolution, write to Canwest to demand they drop the suit, and donate money to cover legal costs. Find out more…