"Laws are like sausages - it is best not to see them being made"; a phrase commonly attributed to Otto von Bismarck seems apt for attempts to reform our archaic libel laws. The last wholesale attempt to get libel law right was in 1843, making Robert Peel our last "libel reforming" prime minister. Depressingly, the sausage cliché is younger than much of the parliamentary law that dictates what we can and can't say.
It's hard to overstate how chilling to free speech the current law is. In 2010, President Obama signed into law the US Speech Act protecting Americans from libel judgements made in the high court here. John Whittingdale MP, the chair of the culture, media and sport select committee described this as a "national humiliation". Our publication rule laughably predates the light bulb, originating in a case won by the notoriously litigious Duke of Brunswick in 1849. Thanks to this case, if you unknowingly copy a libellous statement and publish it on your blog, you could receive a threatening legal letter.
Thankfully, the government will be taking action on "libel tourism" and updating the publication rule for the internet age with the defamation bill that is currently passing through parliament. However, in some ways, the bill is a missed opportunity, with no new public interest defence and no action taken to stop corporations suing individuals.
Getting libel reform right means giving citizens a new public interest defence. Such a defence would have protected libel victims such as Dr Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh and cardiologist Dr Peter Wilmshurst – all of whom were dragged through the courts after writing on important matters of science. A strong public interest defence will protect NGOs and academics from libel actions when they speak out on the dumping of toxic waste by multinational corporations or rampant tax evasion by banks. This defence is crucial – it's near-impossible for scientists to prove the absolute truth of their research in particular where there are constant breakthroughs in our knowledge.
It's chilling to think that Wilmshurst was sued for pointing out possible problems with heart devices. In the four years he fought his case, patients continued to have these devices implanted in their hearts. Some then needed extensive surgery to have them removed because of the fault. If his concerns hadn't been silenced by his four year libel case, doctors may not have recommended this treatment.
A new public interest defence will also protect NGOs and citizen journalists who have got a minor fact wrong, but are willing to correct or clarify it. As it stands, with no new protections, the bill would not have helped many of the cases that spurred 60,000 people to sign the Libel Reform Campaign petition. It was the intention of the government to get this right. Justice minister Lord McNally told Singh at a packed Libel Reform Campaign meeting that he'd be reforming the law so that scientists couldn't be dragged through the courts again. His hard work on this issue is being undermined by the lack of this defence.
The defamation bill will do little to stop corporations suing individuals. This may be for ideological reasons, but in a globalised world where big corporations increasingly dominate the public space, letting them sue individuals is manifestly unfair. Across parliament, Conservative MPs such as Peter Bottomley and David Davis, Liberal Democrats Tom Brake and Julian Huppert and Labour's Rob Flello and Paul Farrelly have questioned whether large companies really do need to resort to suing citizens.
With PR teams and laws to stop anti-competitive practices, firms do have alternatives. The law of libel was never originally intended to cover non-natural persons. The law is there to compensate damage to an individual's reputation and the psychological impact this has. But companies don't have psychological integrity, ie feelings. Should they get damages for defamation?
A huge effort has gone into the Libel Reform Campaign so far. 60,000 supporters have lobbied their MPs in person, held pub meetings, events in parliament, roundtable discussions with lawyers and international human rights groups, a huge comedy gig in central London with help from 60 civil society organisations. On Wednesday comedians and friends of science Dara O' Briain, Dave Gorman and Brian Cox will join us in parliament to lobby MPs. It's not too late for the government to strengthen its defamation bill.
In the meantime, Guardian readers can email their MP to ask them to put pressure on ministers. Wholesale libel reform only comes around every 170 years - anyone who cares about free speech cannot afford to miss this opportunity.
Talasa Kamloops and Wholesale Furniture Brokers Partner to Furnish Units for Less - YAHOO!
Talasa Kamloops and Wholesale Furniture Brokers have partnered to offer new unit owners in the Sun Rivers' development a program to furnish their home for less. The program allows the new homeowner's furniture order to be included in their loan amount. "Professional consultation from DLT Staging and Design's property stylist, Dena Hartling is also included in the package, giving new homeowners at Talasa an easier way to pay for their beautiful new home."
Kamloops, BC (PRWEB) June 27, 2012
Talasa Condominiums and Wholesale Furniture Brokers have partnered to allow new condo unit owners to add their furniture orders to their home loan amounts. Adding the furniture order to their loan will give homeowners a longer time to pay with a lower interest rate compared to using a credit card or line of credit.New home owners can order their Wholesale Furniture Brokers' gift certificate through their Talasa sales agent as they are purchasing their new condo unit. Once the amount of the gift certificate is added to their loan amount, the homeowner will be able to shop for furniture at Wholesale Furniture Brokers' Kamloops outlet or on their online store. "We have thousands of products with free shipping to choose from on our online site," says Matt Holmes, Wholesale Furniture Brokers' Marketing Manager. "We also have lots of options in stock and ready to pick up from our Kamloops store."
Professional consultation by DLT Staging and Design’s property stylist, Dena Hartling, will be included in the gift certificate amount. Hartling will be able to work with local buyers and international investors.
"The response from our clients has been extremely positive," says Lisa Villamo, Talasa's Sales Associate. Wholesale Furniture Brokers views the partnership with Talasa as a great fit for the business. "With Talasa, we saw the opportunity in terms of image, exposure of our products accompanied with the potential to offer customers exceptional value for their new home purchase", says Sergei Tashlikowich, Wholesale Furniture Brokers' Kamloops' Store Manager.
Wholesale Furniture Brokers has furnished a one bedroom suite plus den in the Paloma building in the Talasa Kamloops development. "Offering a furnished condo allows the prospective purchaser to fully visualize that making the decision to inhabit a smaller home can be rewarding, with the right use of space and design", says Villamo.
About Wholesale Furniture Brokers
Wholesale Furniture Brokers offers price leading furniture with free shipping to online customers direct from the manufacturers in the USA and Canada. World-class customer service is provided to customers by telephone, email, and chat. Shoppers can choose from a growing collection of traditional, modern, and contemporary furniture styles for inside and outside of the home at Wholesale Furniture Brokers. Consumers do not need to pay a membership fee to buy from Wholesale Furniture Brokers.
Matt Holmes
Wholesale Furniture Brokers
(250) 377-3669
Email Information
British Land to buy Daily Mail printing works - Daily Telegraph
In January, British Land announced plans for a £34mn investment at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, including an extensive refurbishment of the existing building and a 100,000 sq ft extension along with improvements to the public spaces and connections to Surrey Quays and Canada Water Tube and bus stations.
Elliot Lake mall searchers recover body from debris - CBC
Search crews working feverishly to dismantle a partially collapsed shopping mall in Elliot Lake, Ont., this morning have emerged from the debris carrying a body on a stretcher, four days after the tragedy left residents maintaining a round-the-clock vigil.
"We have one [body] at this point — we're back in there and we're going to continue to work in the area until we come to the conclusion there are no more individuals in there," Dan Hefkey, chief and assistant deputy minister at Emergency Management Ontario, confirmed to reporters just after 9:30 a.m. ET.
The identity of the person removed from the debris hasn't been confirmed. Hefkey said there's still hope they will find any survivors.
"As you can imagine for people here who have been waiting for news, this has been really hard to take," CBC's Natalie Kalata said from the scene.
Earlier, she reported, "We know there were two people trapped in the rubble — we have only heard reports and seen evidence of one person being removed."
Search resumed after outcry
Before the intense overnight mall-dismantling efforts began, at least one person had been confirmed dead after the roof-top parking lot of the mall caved in Saturday afternoon, sending metal and concrete debris crashing through two floors of the building in Elliot Lake, 150 kilometres west of Sudbury.
Another 12 people had remained unaccounted for, down from the 30 officials earlier estimated were missing.
Hefkey had said early Wednesday morning that using the robotic arm on equipment from a Toronto construction firm, crews were able to move a massive section of an escalator and stairs that had prevented rescue workers from entering the mall.
The search for any survivors resumed late Tuesday after it had been halted Monday when it was believed there was a danger to people involved in rescue efforts, and there was public outcry and pressure from Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to resume the mission.
No comments:
Post a Comment