An Alberta MP took on the CBC Wednesday in the House of Commons for making legal threats against the Western Standard..In October, the CBC sent a legal warning to the Western Standard complaining that the online magazine had been using the networks “Gem” logo..“There a couple of rights we need to pay attention to today and that’s the freedom of speech,” Bow River Tory MP Martin Shields told the House..“The Western Standard … has got into difficulty with the CBC. The government broadcaster’s threatening legal action against the publication… This is wrong we need freedom of speech essentially in this time..“For the CBC to take legal action against the Western Standard, that’s not right. We need freedom of speech.”.Shields also said people’s right to religion and gather in churches must also be respected..“We need to work to protect those rights, especially during COVID-19,” Shield said..On October 22, 2020, the CBC’s Legal Department served notice to the Western Standard that it believed that it was in violation of the trademark of its “Gem” logo. . POLL: Many Albertans say they will ignore Christmas COVID lockdown .The CBC cited a graphic posted by Western Standard on its social media accounts stating “Sick of fake news?” beside the CBC logo, above a line stating “Follow us instead” beside the Western Standard logo. .The CBC’s Legal Department demanded that the Western Standard remove the graphic associating it with “Fake News”, and all other uses of the CBC’s logo on the Western Standard’s website and social media channels. The Western Standard regularly refers to the CBC on its social media material promoting the Western Standard as an alternative to government-owned and government-funded media.. The full letter from the CBC’s Legal Department can be read here..Western Standard New Media Corp. President, CEO and Publisher Derek Fildebrandt responded to the CBC..“No. We will not be censored by the CBC. We will not let the CBC’s billion-dollar taxpayer-budget bully us into compliance. We will not stop calling out fake news. We will not stop fighting against government-ownership and government-funding of the media.” .“If the CBC has extra money to fund an entire legal department to try and intimidate the free press, then they should refund this money back to taxpayers.” .“The Western Standard is proud to be one of a very small number of media outlets in Canada that refuses to accept government funding or to be subject to media licensing.” .The Western Standard retained former Alberta Minister of Justice & Solicitor General Jonathan Denis, Q.C. of Guardian Law as legal counsel. .“Our client disclaims and denies any such infraction. Relating to the alleged copyright infringement (which our client profusely denies), the concept of “fair dealing” is a well-recognized principle. “Fair dealing” is an exception to the Copyright Act R.S.C. 1985 c. C-42 that permits the use of a copyright owned by another party “for the purpose of research, private study, education, or satire.”.“Having regard to the foregoing, our client will not accede to what is clearly an attempt at censorship of an opposing view.” The full response from Denis can be read here.Download.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
An Alberta MP took on the CBC Wednesday in the House of Commons for making legal threats against the Western Standard..In October, the CBC sent a legal warning to the Western Standard complaining that the online magazine had been using the networks “Gem” logo..“There a couple of rights we need to pay attention to today and that’s the freedom of speech,” Bow River Tory MP Martin Shields told the House..“The Western Standard … has got into difficulty with the CBC. The government broadcaster’s threatening legal action against the publication… This is wrong we need freedom of speech essentially in this time..“For the CBC to take legal action against the Western Standard, that’s not right. We need freedom of speech.”.Shields also said people’s right to religion and gather in churches must also be respected..“We need to work to protect those rights, especially during COVID-19,” Shield said..On October 22, 2020, the CBC’s Legal Department served notice to the Western Standard that it believed that it was in violation of the trademark of its “Gem” logo. . POLL: Many Albertans say they will ignore Christmas COVID lockdown .The CBC cited a graphic posted by Western Standard on its social media accounts stating “Sick of fake news?” beside the CBC logo, above a line stating “Follow us instead” beside the Western Standard logo. .The CBC’s Legal Department demanded that the Western Standard remove the graphic associating it with “Fake News”, and all other uses of the CBC’s logo on the Western Standard’s website and social media channels. The Western Standard regularly refers to the CBC on its social media material promoting the Western Standard as an alternative to government-owned and government-funded media.. The full letter from the CBC’s Legal Department can be read here..Western Standard New Media Corp. President, CEO and Publisher Derek Fildebrandt responded to the CBC..“No. We will not be censored by the CBC. We will not let the CBC’s billion-dollar taxpayer-budget bully us into compliance. We will not stop calling out fake news. We will not stop fighting against government-ownership and government-funding of the media.” .“If the CBC has extra money to fund an entire legal department to try and intimidate the free press, then they should refund this money back to taxpayers.” .“The Western Standard is proud to be one of a very small number of media outlets in Canada that refuses to accept government funding or to be subject to media licensing.” .The Western Standard retained former Alberta Minister of Justice & Solicitor General Jonathan Denis, Q.C. of Guardian Law as legal counsel. .“Our client disclaims and denies any such infraction. Relating to the alleged copyright infringement (which our client profusely denies), the concept of “fair dealing” is a well-recognized principle. “Fair dealing” is an exception to the Copyright Act R.S.C. 1985 c. C-42 that permits the use of a copyright owned by another party “for the purpose of research, private study, education, or satire.”.“Having regard to the foregoing, our client will not accede to what is clearly an attempt at censorship of an opposing view.” The full response from Denis can be read here.Download.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
