Kent v Postmedia: The largest individual defamation award given in Alberta.

• Date: 01 September 2016
• Author: Jesse, Kent

On June 8, 2016, the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta released a 60-page ruling in the cases of Kent v. Martin, and Kent v. Postmedia, awarding $150,000 in general damages for the print publication of a defamatory article, and a further $50,000 for continuing online publication. Costs of the legal proceedings remain to be determined.

This decision provides a thorough overview of defamation law related to media publications in Canada, and represents the most current application of the defence of Responsible Communication on Matters of Public Interest established by the Supreme Court of Canada in Grant v. Torstar Corp.

That defence provides that, even if the statements made or comments published defame the Plaintiff, if the matter communicated about is of public interest and the defendant acted responsibly with proper diligence, defamatory statements will not attract liability.

Background

Arthur Kent is an Emmy Award winning journalist and documentary film producer who rose to fame during the Gulf War, earning himself the nickname the "Scud Stud". After an extensive career reporting around the world, Mr. Kent returned to his home province of Alberta to run as a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives in the 2008 provincial election.

During the course of his...