Climate Scientist Andrew Weaver Wins $50,000 in Defamation Suit Against National Post, Terence Corcoran

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The B.C. Supreme Court awarded $50,000 in damages to climate scientist Andrew Weaver in a ruling Friday that confirms articles published by the National Post defamed hisย character.

The ruling names Terence Corcoran, editor of the Financial Post, Peter Foster, a columnist at the National Post, Kevin Libin, a journalist that contributes to the Financial Post and National Post publisher Gordonย Fisher.

Four articles published in 2009 and 2010 refer to Weaver, now MLA for Canadaโ€™s Green Party, as an โ€œalarmistโ€ who disseminates โ€œagit-propโ€ and a โ€œsensationalistโ€ that โ€œcherry-pickedโ€ data as โ€œCanadaโ€™s warmest spinner-in-chief.โ€ Weaver was previously a lead author on a number of the UN‘s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessmentย reports.

In the damages section of the ruling (attached below), Madam Justice Emily Burke notes, โ€œthe defamation in this case was serious. It offended Dr. Weaverโ€™s character and the defendants refused to publish aย retraction.โ€

Justice Burke concluded the defendants โ€œhave been careless or indifferent to theย accuracy of the facts,โ€ adding, โ€œthey were more interested in espousing a particular viewย than assessing the accuracy of theย facts.โ€

Weaver told DeSmog Canada heโ€™s โ€œthrilledโ€ with theย ruling.

โ€œI am absolutely thrilled with today’s B.C. Supreme Court judgment in my libelย case against the National Post, Terence Corcoran, Peter Foster, Kevin Libinย and Gordonย Fisher.โ€

Weaver said he initiated the lawsuit in 2010 when the National Post refused to retract the offending articles โ€œthat attributed to me statements I never made, accused me of things I never did, and attacked me for views I neverย held.โ€

โ€œI felt I had to take this matter to court to clear my name and correct theย public record. This judgment does preciselyย that.โ€

Dr. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, said the ruling โ€œis a victory for climate scientistsย everywhere.โ€

There is โ€œan extremely long history of efforts by climate deniers and contrarians to attack not just climate science, but climate scientists: to smear their scientific reputations, to distort their statements, and to make false and defamatory accusations,โ€ Gleick told DeSmogย Canada.

Gleick said defamation โ€œhas been a standard tactic for years, especially as the science of climate change has continued to strengthen andย solidify.โ€

The attack on Weaverโ€™s credibility is unfortunately only one of many examples, heย said.

โ€œWhile I’m sure the ruling will not stop the continued assault on climate science and scientists, it should certainly put people on notice that there is a responsibility to avoid such irresponsible attacks and a real cost for failing to do so. I hope this ruling has thatย effect.โ€

Weaver said he is looking forward to the defendants โ€œpublishing a complete retraction and removing the offending articles from electronicย databases.โ€

The four articles in question, as listed in the court ruling, can be seen below. Three of these articlesย still appear on the National Postโ€™s website at the time ofย publication.

As part of his suit, Weaver also argued the National Post should take responsibility for the articles republished on third-partyย sites.

โ€œI further look forward to them withdrawing consent given to third parties to re-publish the articles and to require them to cease re-publication,โ€ Weaverย said.

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