Tories making Ottawa a new libel belt, Liberals say

[Clintonista2]

OTTAWA–The Conservative government is wielding lawsuits like a blunt instrument to shut down criticism, Liberal MPs charge.

In the past week the government has filed a flurry of notices of intent to sue Liberal members for libel.

"This is a very deliberate, concerted effort to send out all kinds of threats. ... It is a desperate attempt to control the message," said Liberal MP David McGuinty (Ottawa South), who is a lawyer.

== == ==
The latest served is Liberal Mark Holland (Ajax-Pickering) for accusing Environment Minister John Baird, an Ottawa MP, of interfering with the police investigation of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien.

O'Brien has been charged with influence peddling for allegedly offering rival Terry Kilrea a federal appointment if he dropped out of the 2006 mayoral race.

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/339590


This has got to be the weirdest political strategy I've ever seen...

[daleo]

1. Harper has the Mulroney disease

Threaten, bluster, sue, repeat. I thought Conservatives were supposed to dislike trial lawyers.