Nova Scotia Social Media Defamation Suit Dismissed
A defamation suit filed by two former chiefs against two former firefighters for comments anonymously posted on-line has been dismissed.
Former Halifax Fire Chief Bill Mosher and former Deputy Chief Stephen Thurber filed suit against former firefighters Blair Cromwell and Wayne Chapdelaine back in 2010. The firefighters were accused of leaving anonymous defamatory remarks about the chiefs on the web site of a local weekly newspaper, The Coast.
Prior to filing the suit the chiefs had to sue the newspaper to obtain the identities of the posters for them to be identified.
The dismissal leaves Cromwell claiming victory. He was quoted by the Herald News as saying:
- “I’ve been trying, through my lawyer, to have this lawsuit closed out on my terms.”
- “The city wanted me fired for many years because I was a troublemaker in their eyes raising issues pertaining to race.”
- “This was a deception there was never any intent to follow through with this lawsuit. It was used to identify and terminate me.”
- “It was an abuse of the judicial system, that’s what this is about.”
On the other hand he admitted he has no permanent employment or financial security, having been fired over the postings in 2010. “I mean I use to have financial security, I no longer have that. I live a completely different existence.”
