News Brief

State legislatures in Canada and the Federal Parliament in Ottowa will be asked to pass bills similar to the one passed by the Manitoba State Legislature making it possible to bring suit against persons responsible for the publication of lifelong material against a race or religion and to halt the publication of such material.

The Manitoba bill, which was introduced by Marcus Hyman, Laborite, and passed unanimously by the legislature, provides that:

The repeated publication of a libel against any rance or creed likely to expose persons belonging to such race or professing such creed or hatred, contempt or ridicule shall, without prejudice to any other recourse, entitle any person belonging to such race or professing such creed to sue for damages and for an injunction to prevent the continuation and circulation of such libel or any libel of a similar character; and the Court of King’s Bench or any judge thereof is hereby empowered to entertain such action.

Such action may be taken against any person, firm or corporation directly or indirectly responsible for the authorship, publication, or circulation of such libel.

The word “publication” used in this section shall be interpreted to mean any words legibly marked upon any substance whatever or any object signifying such matter otherwise than by words exhibited in public or caused to be read or seen or shown or circulated or delivered with a view to its being read or seen by any person.

The provisions and rules of “The King’s Bench Act” so far as they are applicable to proceedings of a like nature, including those relating to appeals and to the enforcements of judgments and orders, shall apply to every proceeding before Court of King’s Bench or a judge thereof under the provisions of this section. There shall be an appeal from any judgment, or order pronounced hereunder in the same manner as from any other judgment or order of the court.