Time now for detailed scrutiny at committee: Sterns
TORONTO – The Ontario Bar Association is calling for the government’s proposed anti-SLAPP legislation, now being debated at second reading, to proceed to committee.
Bill 83, Protection for Public Participation Act, 2013 was introduced by the government in June 2013. The bill is intended to discourage litigation that is brought for the sole purpose of stifling public debate, sometimes referred to Strategic Lawsuits Against Litigation, or SLAPP.
David Sterns, OBA board member, has written a letter to Attorney General John Gerretsen, the government and opposition house leaders, and the opposition Attorney General critics, saying it is the OBA’s view that passing this bill is in the public interest and respectfully calling on them agree to allow the bill to move to committee.
The Ontario Bar Association has long called for this type of legislation and Bill 83 very closely reflects the recommendations our organization made in a written submission to the government’s blue-ribbon panel tasked with studying the need for the legislation,” Sterns said in the letter.
“It is the view of the OBA that Bill 83 has at this time received a good amount of debate at Second Reading and it is now appropriate for the bill to continue its legislative journey and progress to committee where it can receive additional and detailed scrutiny.”
Read the letter
Read the bill
Contact
Greg Crone
416-869-1047 ext. 364
gcrone@oba.org