Freedom of expression under attack: Écosociété hit by two SLAPP*

Canadian mining firms Barrick Gold and Banro Corporation are suing publisher Écosociété and the three authors of the book Noir Canada : Pillage, corruption et criminalité en Afrique for libel. Total amount demanded : 11 million Canadian $.

Écosociété asks for all forms of possible support to carry on this David and Goliath struggle.

In order to help us, you can:

• Sign the online petition for an anti-SLAPP law and send it to all your contacts
• Send a donation
• Buy the book Noir Canada (in french)

The two multinationals reproach to the publisher and authors of Noir Canada - Alain Deneault, Delphine Abadie et William Sacher – of citing and analyzing documents issued by authoritative and credible sources already available in the public sphere. This Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), represents a serious threat to the right to information and freedom of expression and therefore to democracy. We refuse to let ourselves be muzzled and we will carry on our work as a socially committed publisher.

Noir Canada. Pillage, corruption et criminalité en Afrique brings together and analyses national and international documents already available to the public (reports, books, documentaries...), concerning various abuses from several Canadian companies working in Africa, in particular in the mining and oil areas. It also deals with the supports these corporations benefit on behalf of the Canadian government. The debate the book wishes to make public is all the more legitimate given that Canadians’ assets (retirement funds, RRSP, public funds) are often indirectly invested in these corporations through the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Following the publication of Noir Canada, Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold producer is suing the small non-profit Quebec publisher and the authors of Noir Canada for $5 millions in damages, as well as one million on account of exemplary damages, a sum that represents 25 times Écosociété’s annual revenue.

In regards with the additional Banro lawsuit, who is claiming 5 million dollars, they are now under the obligation to defend themselves in Ontario courts, following different procedures of Ontario's legal code, in another language even though the authors and publisher reside in Québec.

The authors and Écosociété consider that these abusive lawsuits prevent public discussion and are therefore a nuisance for democracy.

*Strategic lawsuit against public participation