A Victory for the Truth
Act For Aquaculture, February 14, 2014
We at Act for Aquaculture spend a lot of time correcting misinformation about our industry often perpetuated by activists who have their own agenda.
This week, one such activist has been held to account for his defamatory accusations.
Cermaq Canada (which changed names from Mainstream Canada in November, 2013) originally took anti-salmon farming activist Don Staniford to court in 2012. The legal action was in response to a prolonged, malicious, and unfounded attack by Staniford on the company and its employees. He was found guilty and ordered to pay general and punitive damages. He appealed to the Canadian Supreme Court. Yesterday, the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal.
All Canadian salmon farmers are proud of their industry and the quality product they grow. Defamatory attacks hurt the people who work on our farms, who care for the animals and who take great pride in the work they do. We welcome open and respectful discussion about our industry, but all too often, public commentary about salmon farming is based on accusations that simply are not true. And unfortunately, the majority of these public commentators are not held accountable for their untrue and defamatory remarks. Hopefully this ruling will also mean that media will cease to give extreme activists an open platform to perpetuate their misinformation campaigns without holding them to the same level of accountability as industry, government and the science community.
Today we join Cermaq in saying we are pleased to see this ruling.
A victory for factual debate!
