[Section 15] Bruce reactors restart to go overbudget

The cost to repair two nuclear power reactors in Ontario at the Bruce reactors site has -- surprise -- mushroomed.

The original costs were estimated at $2.75 billion (back in 2005), and now the costs are estimated at $3.1 to $3.4 billion.

That's a 13% to 24% cost increase from the original estimate.

The project is 60% complete, which means there is still time for the true costs to rise even more, which, keeping to the trend, could bring overruns to 18% to 34% of the original estimate.

Nice work.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 4/19/2008 10:21:00 AM

[Section 15] Don't like democracy? Sue for libel

Ever wonder how democracy can be subverted by libel law? Look no further: A group of lawn care professionals is about to sue an unnamed municipality for libel over a bylaw which affects their business.

I found this press release:

Lawn Care Companies Seek Damages from Activists and Municipalities

MONTREAL, April 18 /CNW Telbec/ - MREP Communications is a consulting
services firm that provides support through a network of companies in North
America and the EU on environmental policy and communications.

A group of lawn care professionals has asked us to review current and
pending bylaws that restrict or prohibit the use of registered lawn pesticides
in Canada. Our current focus is the by-laws in Ontario. We have just completed
the first phase of a three-part systematic review of these municipal bylaws in
Ontario and are looking forward to comparing our findings with those of the
Ontario Government's review. However, to-date, there has been no response to
our request for a meeting.

At this point, the onus on the lawn care professionals and related
industries is the mitigation of damages caused by these bylaws that prevents
the operation of their trade.

...Entrepreneurs, second and third generation family-run businesses have
been adversely affected by conjecture and rumor. These companies will no
longer tolerate any additional losses created by municipalities or activists.
The industry has taken a stand of zero tolerance for libel, slander of goods
and cyber bullying by activist or individuals.

Activist groups have indicated they will be targeting other aspects of
our industry, including golf, agricultural, forestry, aquatic and
industrial-site uses of pesticides and fertilizers.

On April 25, 2008, the first lawsuit for defamation and slander of goods
against a municipality will be filed. We will target municipalities that feel
they have to damage our reputations or educate the public by malicious
falsehoods in an effort to support their bylaws or influence provincial
policy.

It's not that I'm saying they don't have a claim under our crazy libel laws -- I have no idea.

I am saying that if there is a problem with any bylaws, this is not the way to fix things in a democracy.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 4/19/2008 12:19:00 AM

[Section 15] Strengthening democracy through lawsuits

H/t to Liberal Catnip, for letting us in on these pieces of fatherly advice.


Want to change these out-of-date libel laws? Donate to the OpenPolitics.ca libel defense fund. See the sidebar for details.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 4/17/2008 06:16:00 PM

[Section 15] Donate here to fight for Free speech on the Internet!

As promised, I have posted a Paypal link for those to donate to help the defendants in the Crookes v. OpenPolitics case. That case goes to trial this October, and is incredibly important to us all, as it deals with the liability of publishers, even when absent, for the posts and comment of others on a wiki.

Kate of Small Dead Animals is facing similar, if not the same, issues, as a defendant in the Warren lawsuit. Support Kate if you like, but the OpenPolitics case is likely to hit trial first.

You can also donate to my court case (Crookes V. Holloway) through the Cambridge Green Party Association by cheque.

Kate at SDA has just noticed the Crookes lawsuits.

More to come.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 4/14/2008 12:03:00 PM

[Section 15] How to support the Defendants against Crookes

There is no defense fund as yet, so if you want to donate, send me email and I will get back to you.

Email: markfrancis AT gmail DOT com

If you want to learn more about the Crookes cases, and libel law in general, please click on the Libel Reform label below and start reading.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 4/13/2008 09:53:00 AM

[Section 15] Michael Geist event in Toronto: E-Publishing & The Law

Michael Geist: E-Publishing & The Law

    The Canadian Journalism Foundation Hosts March 6 Event

   TORONTO, Feb. 22 /CNW/ - On March 6, Dr. Michael Geist will discuss the
legal issues that are impacting everyone from the seasoned blogger to the
average internet user, followed by a Q&A moderated by Sally Armstrong.

   <<
   What:  Anyone who blogs, comments, sends e-mail or otherwise publishes
          electronically is subject to the laws of defamation and libel,
          according to University of Ottawa Law School professor and
          internationally renowned expert on law and the Internet, Dr.
          Michael Geist. The Internet and new technologies have ushered in a
          seemingly unlimited array of possibilities for access to
          knowledge, creativity, and public participation. Dr. Geist will
          highlight the role that the Internet is playing for new creativity
          and knowledge sharing, while identifying the business and policy
          challenges that this creates for journalists and journalism.

   Who:   Dr. Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and
          E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, has written numerous
          academic articles and government reports on the Internet and law
          and was a member of Canada's National Task Force on Spam. He is an
          internationally syndicated columnist on technology law issues with
          his regular column appearing in the Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen,
          and the BBC. Dr. Geist serves on the Privacy Commissioner of
          Canada's Expert Advisory Board and on the Canadian Digital
          Information Strategy's Review Panel. Moderator Sally Armstrong is
          a veteran journalist and author of Veiled Threat: The Hidden Power
          of the Women of Afghanistan.

   When:  Thursday, March 6, 2008
          6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

   Where: MaRS Discovery District, CR-3
          101 College St at the SE corner of College & University.
   >>

   Join The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) on Thursday, March 6, for
this event, which is free of charge and open to the media and the public.
Seating is limited. If you plan to attend, please register at info@cjf-fjc.ca
or visit our website www.cjf-fjc.ca/programs.htm to register online.

   About the Canadian Journalism Foundation

   Established in 1990, The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) is a
not-for-profit organization that exists to contribute to the achievement of
excellence in Canadian journalism. Better journalism means a better-informed
citizenry and an improved democratic process. Through leadership seminars,
panel discussions and other activities the Foundation builds bridges and
fosters open, informed dialogue between leading public and private
organizations and the media.

For further information: Heather McCall, Program Manager, The Canadian
Journalism Foundation, Phone: (416) 955-0630, Email: hmccall@cjf-fjc.ca,
www.cjf-fjc.ca 

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 2/22/2008 01:36:00 PM

[Section 15] My empty protest

Speaking today with Zorpheous, I confessed to having the worse case of writer's block ever as an explanation as to why I have not been blogging. Where once I managed multiple posts per day on two blogs, I now do nothing.

This block is unlike any other I've had before. It's not that I lack anything to say, it's that I'm afraid to write for fear of falling once again under the shadow of Canada's backwards libel laws.

This is not a creative block, it is truly a block of stone hard fear.

You may recall that I am being sued by Wayne Crookes. Well, as I approach the one year anniversary of the lawsuit, I have little to report. A good hunk of the claim has been thrown out, but that is, last I heard, under appeal.

I am unable to pay for any legal bills. The LibelChill.ca site I put up to gather donations broke due to a server crash, and I just didn't have the time to put it back together. It seems not worth it as the donations I received after all that work were quite small.

People need to realize that Canada is not America -- you can most certainly be sued for libel in Canada for writing well-researched posts, or simply for stating opinions regardless of the level of public interest. You can most certainly be sued for writing the truth, and unless you have the tens of thousands of dollars required to defend yourself, you will find yourself publicly retracting that truth.

I try to write, but everything I publish concerns politics, and writing about politics often requires me to criticize people. Our libel law basically says that any negative comment about a person is libelous, unless, under reverse onus (guilty until proven innocent), the author can prove what they wrote is defensible.

And so, despite my many concerns about the direction of this county, and of our global society, this space now sits empty.

Consider that a political statement.

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Posted By Mark Francis to Section 15 at 1/07/2008 02:14:00 AM