Andrew Weaver Strikes Back

Back in the Climategate's early days, before it was shown to be a crock drummed up by the right-wing noise machine, a number of MSM outlets thought they could print any lies they wanted about what Climate Scientists had said re the CRU hack and the subsequent controversies around the IPCC. In the UK this attitude resulted in Rosegate, and Leakegate. In Canada, naturally enough, the morally as well as financially bankrupt National Post was worst among offenders.

In the case of UVIC climatologist Andrew Weaver the NP said, among many, many other things, that Weaver had called for the resignation of IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri, when he had not.

But now, Mr. Weaver has indicated that he will strike back!

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 21, 2010) - University of Victoria Professor Andrew Weaver, the Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis, launched a lawsuit today in BC Supreme Court against three writers at The National Post (and the newspaper as a whole), over a series of unjustified libels based on grossly irresponsible falsehoods that have gone viral on the Internet.

First off, get 'em good, Mr. Weaver! And don't be gentle! With a few exceptions, the "journalists" at the Natty Post are godless, crud-eating vermin and the flaming death spiral that their profession is in, plus their paper's many, many unique management misteps, have rendered them starved of both ethics and lucre. Stomp 'em, baby! Stomp 'em! Help me realize my dream of sitting in a MacDonald's and beaning Jonathon Kay in the head with french-fries from the plastic clam-shell he just served me!

And, here's some possibly useful semi-legal advice, because The Post has already caved to this kind of thing before and because you note in your news release that your suit:

...also seeks an unprecedented Court order requiring the newspaper to assist Dr. Weaver in removing the defamatory National Post articles from the many other Internet sites where they have been re-posted.

Demand the copyright to the story they lied about you in!(*) Richard Warman, in his effort to fight the various slanders against him, has apparently been able to negotiate this from NP as part of their settlement. He has used his ownership of the slanderous piece to successfully demand that Free Dominon, for example, pull their version of it from their website on the basis of copyright law and, with much whining and complaining, FreeD have indicated that they will comply.

And remember: generally, when you sue the National Post, you win win. This guy even managed to wring a six-figure settlement out of them.

And, if you need donations to fund your suit, there's a Cdn $5 in my pocket! More if you can use my wife's points card!

Mr. Weaver's writ of summons can be found here.

H/t.

(*) They have done this already, and I missed it: see par. 72, h) and i) in the writ of summons.