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Climate scientist sues National Post for libel

University of Victoria professor and climate scientist Andrew Weaver is suing the National Post for libel, claiming the paper falsely attributed statements to him and printed "grossly irresponsible falsehoods" about him in their coverage of the climate research email controversy that surfaced before the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen last December.

The suit names Financial Post editor Terence Corcoran, columnist Peter Foster, reporter Kevin Libin and publisher Gordon Fisher, and seeks "general, aggravated damages, special and exemplary damages and legal costs" in relation to four articles ('So much for pure science,' 'Weaver’s Web,' 'Weaver's Web II' and 'Climate agency going up in flames') that were published in Dec. 2009, Jan. 2010 and Feb. 2010.

Weaver's lawyer, Roger D. McConchie, told The Tyee that legal letters were sent to the Post pointing out Weaver's complaints about the articles and asking that they be removed.

Weaver, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis, is asking for a court injunction requiring the National Post to remove the allegedly defamatory articles from its own site, and also assist him in removing them from other Internet sites where they have been re-posted -- an aspect of the case McConchie said he believes is unprecedented in Internet libel law.

Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.


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