Don Staniford, a passionate wild salmon activist, recently won a court battle with Norwegian-owned aquaculture giant Mainstream Canada. Their defamation case against Staniford was dismissed September 28th. This is fantastic news for Don, and also a win for free speech.
Much environmental damage these days is caused by huge corporations with substantial financial resources, thus making any challenge to their activities a case of ‘David versus Goliath’. Individuals may be afraid to take on big business for fear of being quashed, however this case could set an interesting precedent moving forward.
Freedom of speech is very important in today’s political climate, but it often seems as though this freedom can be bought and protected by corporations with money. This win, although not completely conclusive, does show that the voice of one person can be heard and emphasizes the importance of standing up for what you truly believe in.
For the full article head on over to CBC.
Author: Alan Churchill