Lawson VINDICATED Baines Loses CourtCourt says Vancouver Sun columnist libelled former senator Ed Lawson
By: The Canadian Press
03/21/2011 6:44 PM
VANCOUVER - Former Senator Ed Lawson has won a $30,000libel lawsuit against Vancouver Sun business columnist David Baines andCanwest Publishing.
Lawson sued over a column published in the Vancouvernewspaper in March 2008, where Baines wrote about Lawson's involvementin events that happened in the 1980s.
Lawson went to court alleging he was libelled and B.C.Supreme Court Justice Robert Sewell agreed the statements in the columnwere defamatory.
Lawson wanted both general and aggravated damages, claimingBaines made his accusations with malice, but Sewell ruled Baines didn'tact recklessly even though there were inaccuracies in the material.
Sewell said it wasn't necessary to order a larger award than the $30,000 because the judgement alone vindicates Lawson.