Grandpré Malfunction: Canadian Courts Refuse to Lift Prior Restraint on Journalist Covering Court Case

The Canadian courts are facing an important issue involving a free press — and they seem to be failing the test. The Quebec Court of Appeal this week refused to remove a gag on Daniel Leblanc, a Globe and Mail reporter ,who was barred from disclosing facts about negotiations in a civil lawsuit. It is a prior restraint by Justice Jean-François de Grandpré that would be viewed as an outrage in the United States.

The government is suing Groupe Polygone to regain $35-million that it received for placing ads and other promotional material for the federal government. The government charges the firm with over billing.

Mr. Leblanc reported on secret settlement negotiations and ticked off Justice Jean-François de Grandpré. Grandpré imposed the ban despite the fact that the government never requested such an action and denied the newspaper a chance to contest it. Yet, the appellate court saw no reason to lift such a direct attack on a free press.

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