A Primer On Defamation

Many people are likely familiar with terms like defamation, libel, or slander from hearing them in the media or on television. But few people are aware of the nuanced differences between these terms. More importantly from a legal perspective if you find yourself in a situation where you feel your reputation has been harmed, you need to understand what a successful lawsuit for defamation really entails.

What is defamation?

In Alberta, we have legislation called the Defamation Act (the "Act") which sets out the scope of defamatory statements, the possible damages an injured party can recover, and the potential defences or mitigating factors which a party that made a defamatory statement can raise.