VANCOUVER 鈥� A salmon-farming critic won a recent defamation case in 乌鸦传媒 Supreme Court, but he鈥檚 now facing a hefty bill after being rebuked financially for his conduct during the same trial.
Justice Elaine Adair awarded British-born Don Staniford only 25 per cent of his costs Wednesday and ordered him to pay Mainstream 乌鸦传媒, the salmon-farming company and plaintiff in the case, $8,300 for court fees.
The court usually awards costs to the winning party.
The case went to trial this year over a 2011 campaign that included images of cigarette packages with statements that read 鈥淪almon Farming Kills Like Smoking.鈥�
鈥淚 have concluded that Mr. Staniford鈥檚 open disrespect for the witnesses and disdain for the court and the judicial process are deserving of rebuke,鈥� said Adair, who noted court rules allowed her to censure Staniford for his actions.
Adair said that during the 20-day trial, Staniford mocked the physical appearances of witnesses, accused a First Nations band of taking 鈥渂lood money,鈥� compared the trial to a 鈥渒angaroo court,鈥� and relaunched his website campaign using a service provider outside of 乌鸦传媒.
The judge said that while Staniford 鈥渃laims to be a champion of free speech,鈥� he 鈥渃ruelly and publicly mocks鈥� people who have different opinions. She also pointed to examples of his 鈥減assive aggression.鈥�
David Sutherland, Staniford鈥檚 lawyer, declined comment, saying he was reviewing the decision and the case is under appeal.
In September, Staniford said the court case had cost him about $100,000 even with Sutherland working at a reduced rate.
鈥淭he defence of free speech is sadly not free but it is a price worth paying,鈥� Staniford said in an email to the Canadian Press. 鈥淲in, lose or draw the defence of truth and fair comment is a fight worth fighting.鈥�
Laurie Jensen spokeswoman for Mainstream 乌鸦传媒, said no court date has been set for the appeal.
