Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant has won his freedom of expression case against Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault. .“He illegally blocked us on Twitter,” tweeted Levant on Monday. .“Today he was ordered to unblock us and pay $20,000 to Rebel News.” .Levant took Guilbeault to court in a constitutional challenge for blocking him on Twitter in February. .READ MORE: Ezra Levant takes Trudeau's environment minister to court for Twitter block.He said Guilbeault’s Twitter account is a form of government communication and should not be blocked under Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms..He alleged his Twitter block violated his freedom of expression, as it is a government account. .Levant said Rebel News crushed Guilbeault in the Federal Court of Canada. In doing so, he said it “struck a blow for freedom of speech and freedom of the press for everyone.” .Like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he said he hates Rebel because he cannot control it. .It is one of a few media companies, including the Western Standard, that does not take government money, so it does not toe its line. The Canadian government has tried to find ways to punish it. .Guilbeault ordered his government department to block Levant on Twitter. He could not receive government news updates from its account. .So Levant sued. He went to the Federal Court and argued he had a right to see those tweets, as it was a government service like any other. .If Guilbeault can cut him off from receiving news and other information from the government, he asked what else can he cut off. Trudeau has banned companies who disagree with him from receiving summer jobs grants. .They had a court hearing in Toronto this summer, and the Canadian government had seven lawyers involved. Levant said this was a waste of money. .Now Guilbeault caved, agreeing to a consent order against him. His lawyers told him he had no case, so the choice was to settle now or lose at trial. .Canadian government lawyers tried to have Levant sign a confidentiality clause, banning him from disclosing the details of his settlement. Even after admitting it had violated his rights, he wanted it kept secret. .Guilbeault has been ordered by the court to unblock him and to never ban him again as long as he is an MP. He has to pay Rebel $20,000 in legal fees. .While $20,000 is a large sum of money, Levant said it is a fraction of the cost of what it had to spend to get him to back down. .He said having the Federal Court smack down government censorship is never a small matter. He added it “sets a precedent for all other bullies in Trudeau's government, reminding them that they cannot use public resources to carry out a vendetta against their political critics.” .This case would apply to all journalists. Politicians from every political party would be barred from blocking them. .Civil liberties groups used to do these cases. But Rebel was alone in court, and civil liberties groups did not say a word. .Levant concluded by saying Rebel won anyways and Guilbeault lost. .“And every single Canadian is just a little bit freer,” he said.
Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant has won his freedom of expression case against Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault. .“He illegally blocked us on Twitter,” tweeted Levant on Monday. .“Today he was ordered to unblock us and pay $20,000 to Rebel News.” .Levant took Guilbeault to court in a constitutional challenge for blocking him on Twitter in February. .READ MORE: Ezra Levant takes Trudeau's environment minister to court for Twitter block.He said Guilbeault’s Twitter account is a form of government communication and should not be blocked under Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms..He alleged his Twitter block violated his freedom of expression, as it is a government account. .Levant said Rebel News crushed Guilbeault in the Federal Court of Canada. In doing so, he said it “struck a blow for freedom of speech and freedom of the press for everyone.” .Like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he said he hates Rebel because he cannot control it. .It is one of a few media companies, including the Western Standard, that does not take government money, so it does not toe its line. The Canadian government has tried to find ways to punish it. .Guilbeault ordered his government department to block Levant on Twitter. He could not receive government news updates from its account. .So Levant sued. He went to the Federal Court and argued he had a right to see those tweets, as it was a government service like any other. .If Guilbeault can cut him off from receiving news and other information from the government, he asked what else can he cut off. Trudeau has banned companies who disagree with him from receiving summer jobs grants. .They had a court hearing in Toronto this summer, and the Canadian government had seven lawyers involved. Levant said this was a waste of money. .Now Guilbeault caved, agreeing to a consent order against him. His lawyers told him he had no case, so the choice was to settle now or lose at trial. .Canadian government lawyers tried to have Levant sign a confidentiality clause, banning him from disclosing the details of his settlement. Even after admitting it had violated his rights, he wanted it kept secret. .Guilbeault has been ordered by the court to unblock him and to never ban him again as long as he is an MP. He has to pay Rebel $20,000 in legal fees. .While $20,000 is a large sum of money, Levant said it is a fraction of the cost of what it had to spend to get him to back down. .He said having the Federal Court smack down government censorship is never a small matter. He added it “sets a precedent for all other bullies in Trudeau's government, reminding them that they cannot use public resources to carry out a vendetta against their political critics.” .This case would apply to all journalists. Politicians from every political party would be barred from blocking them. .Civil liberties groups used to do these cases. But Rebel was alone in court, and civil liberties groups did not say a word. .Levant concluded by saying Rebel won anyways and Guilbeault lost. .“And every single Canadian is just a little bit freer,” he said.
