(OTTAWA, May 13, 2014) – A $1 million defamation suit centred on and financed by the University of Ottawa is going to trial this week at the Ottawa Courthouse.
St. Lewis v. Rancourt traces its origins to a 2008 student federation report alleging systemic racism at the University of Ottawa, law professor Joanne St. Lewis’s critical evaluation of the student federation report, and former physics professor Denis Rancourt’s blog post about Professor St. Lewis’s evaluation, entitled “Did Professor Joanne St. Lewis act as Allan Rock’s house negro?”
The case has seen two judges withdraw, a major motion by the defendant alleging improper funding by the University of Ottawa which was dismissed by the Supreme Court, an allegation of appearance of judicial bias which was dismissed by the Supreme Court and which has initiated a United Nations complaint, and approximately 30 interlocutory motions since it began in June 2011. All of Professor St. Lewis’s legal fees are and have been paid for by the University of Ottawa, without limit, while Dr. Rancourt is self-represented.
Witnesses in the trial will include: University of Ottawa President Allan Rock, former Vice-President Academic Robert Major, former Dean of Common Law Bruce Feldthusen (for the plaintiff), and former U.S.A. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (for the defendant).
The trial is scheduled to last four weeks. Jury selection was completed yesterday. Opening statements will be heard on Thursday, May 15, at 10 a.m.
OCLA’s “Public Money is Not for Silencing Critics” campaign calls on the University of Ottawa to end its financing of the private defamation lawsuit St. Lewis v. Rancourt because such funding by a public institution violates freedom of expression and is antithetical to academic freedom, which the university is bound to protect.
About the Ontario Civil Liberties Association
OCLA is an organization formed to defend civil liberties at a time when fundamental freedoms are subjected to systemic erosion in all spheres of social life. OCLA opposes institutional policies and decisions that remove from the individual his or her personal liberty or exclude the individual from participation in the democratic functions of society.
Contact:
Joseph Hickey
Executive Director
Ontario Civil Liberties Association (OCLA) https://ocla.ca
613-252-6148 (c)
joseph.hickey@ocla.ca
