Blocking Public Participation: The Use of Strategic Litigation to Silence Political Expression

Strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) involves lawsuits brought by individuals, corporations, groups, or politicians to curtail political activism and expression. An increasingly large part of the political landscape in Canada, they are often launched against those protesting, boycotting, or participating in some form of political activism.

A common feature of SLAPPs is that their intention is rarely to win the case or secure a remedy; rather, the suit is brought to cre...