Ontario’s Proposed Anti-SLAPP Legislation Moves Forward (Again)

Bill 52, the Protection of Public Participation Act, 2014 (the Bill), was re-introduced by Attorney General of Ontario Madeleine Meilleur on December 1, 2014. The Bill is a reincarnation of Bill 83, which was first introduced in 2013 and received its second reading in September of that year before dying on the order paper.

The Bill "seeks to balance the protection of public participation and freedom of expression and the protection of reputation and economic interests" and to discourage the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs, which are defined as lawsuits that are brought for the dominant purpose of silencing public opposition on an issue by strategically entangling the defendant in a web of expensive and time-consuming litigation, have been recognized as having the potential to stifle valid criticism and debate on issues of public interest.