Defamation???rxpbrute, extortionist911, ike3406, et al, FYI - just a heads up, choose your words carefully, defaming posters are being sued and companies are being rewarded...constructive criticism is one thing...have a gander...
Vancouver, B.C. September 20, 2010
St. Elias Mines Ltd. () ("St. Elias" or the "Company") announces that the Company, its President, Lori McClenahan, and management of St. Elias are suing certain anonymous online bulletin board posters for defamation. The anonymous posters placed a series of defamatory comments on a Stockhouse bullboard against the Company, its President and management and, as of today, are continuing to post false and defamatory comments. Further details regarding the defamation lawsuits will follow once filings are made with the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
"The Company has grounds to file defamation lawsuits with the courts against the posters to seek general and aggravated damages as well as punitive damages. There is a need to deter irresponsible, self-interested, malicious postings and the courts have, in the past looked down upon libellous material found in online postings" stated President, Lori McClenahan. "Statements transmitted and published over Stockhouse's website about particular companies are accessible by millions of individuals, shareholders and potential investors, and the extent of the damage could be considerable", the President continued.
Prior Lawsuits Against Internet Posters
Stockhouse posters have faced legal action over forum postings many times in the past. One well-known case is the lawsuit where Barrick Gold Corp. was awarded $125,000 by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice after the company was libelled on internet chat lines.
In a more recent case, a handful of inflammatory online postings about Farallon Mining Ltd. ("Farallon") have led to the biggest internet defamation award ever handed out in Canada. The Supreme Court of British Columbia awarded $425,000 in damages for defamatory comments made by an a online poster. On March 30, 2010, an online poster had to pay a total of $425,000 in damages for comments he made at Stockhouse's website. The targets of the posters online ire were Farallon, Farallon's Chairman and Farallon's management company. Madam Justice C.A. Wedge awarded Farallon and Farallon's management company $75,000 each in general damages and $25,000 each in punitive damages. Farallon's Chairman was awarded $125,000 in general damages, $75,000 in aggravated damages and $25,000 in punitive damages. In addition to being the biggest internet defamation award in Canadian history, it is the largest defamation award rendered against a single person in Canada.