The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has decided to forego an appeal of a judge’s decision denying its request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two county officials against Guelph resident Bill Manderson.
About a year ago county councillor Brad Whitcombe and Wellington County Chief Administrative Officer Scott Wilson filed a $2.4-million defamation lawsuit against the 74-year-old blogger and self-proclaimed county watchdog.
Wilson and Whitcombe claim statements made by Manderson in letters and on his website would cause damage to their reputations.
The claims have not been proven in court.
The CCLA argued the lawsuit is unconstitutional and could be perceived as restricting the right of citizens to criticize government.
But on Dec. 18, Justice William Hourigan dismissed that motion in a 13-page ruling. The CCLA had 30 days to appeal the decision, but did not do so.
Instead, the association is expected to intervene with a similar motion during the trial, for which there has not yet been a date set.
A separate peace bond case involving the same three parties was expected to continue on Jan. 20. The result of those proceedings was not known by press time.
