Edmonton-Griesbach MP Kerry Diotte is suing the University of Alberta’s (U of A) student newspaper, the Gateway, for an article and an editorial which he claims defamed him.
The article, published on Nov. 2, outlined students’ concern over the president of U of A’s Students’ Union Reed Larson posing in a picture with Diotte, according to the statement of claim.
Third-party comments made from a tweet accused MP Diotte of being a racist. Moreover, Diotte was criticized for spending time with former mayor of Toronto candidate Faith Goldy, who was called a “white supremacist” by fifth-year Alberta student Ben Angus in a now-deleted tweet.
Since receiving a notice to sue, the student publication issued an apology and amended the articles, but Diotte continued with the lawsuit. The Gateway’s statement said they’re in the process of reviewing the statement of claim, and will be filing a statement of defence in due course.
Klaus Pohle, a media law and journalism professor at Carleton University, said student newspapers aren’t exempt from the law, citing there are no publication privileges when law is involved.
“Student [journalists] need to know the law just as much as professional journalists,” he said. “There’s no censorship in an article, but you’re going to prepare to take the consequences.”
In response to the allegations, Diotte tweeted on Nov. 19 saying that false comments were made, and that he didn’t necessarily endorse “white nationalist” Goldy.
The Canadian University Press (CUP), an organization of post-secondary campus publications, issued a statement saying they strive to hold campus publications up to the same standard as any other news publication in Canada. They said the Gateway’s actions of retracing and editing the comments and adding editor’s notes were an appropriate remedy.
However, the statement says Diotte’s choice to continue with the lawsuit show that “his intentions go beyond protecting his own reputation and extend into the dangerous territory of stifling and financially devastating an independent student publication.”
MP Kerry Diotte will no longer speak on the issue until a ruling has been reached. The MP is currently seeking $150,000 in damages.
Photo illustration by Jasmine Foong
