A number of elected union officers were awarded over $200,000.00 in damages when their lawsuit proved that they had been defamed by two disaffected union members. This result was achieved in a summary trial without the necessity for oral testimony.
Masunda v. Johnson and Leong (BCSC)
The Plaintiff sued the union president and a member, alleging that they had defamed him in certain published communications. The court dismissed the claims agreeing with the Defendants that the publications complained about were protected by the defence of qualified privilege.