The civil suits between Soulpepper Theatre Company, Albert Schultz and four actors who alleged the former artistic director of Toronto’s largest not-for-profit theatre company was a “serial sexual predator” have been settled out of court – but they will have significantly altered the inner workings of arts institutions across Canada.
Insights
September 11, 2018 – Margaret Waddell explains the Rule of Law —
Read about it here: What is the Rule of Law
News
August 2, 2018 – Margaret Waddell comments on Soulpepper settlement —
The original article appeared in the Globe and Mail on August 1, 2018. Visit the original article here.
A quiet end to Canadian theatre’s first brush with #MeToo
News
July 30, 2018 – Can the Royal Winnipeg Ballet get past its #MeToo moment? —
The following article appeared on macleans.ca on July 30, 2018. Visit the original article here.
In 2015, before sexual assault complaints against American film producer Harvey Weinstein gave rise to an avalanche of #MeToo revelations, a flood of allegations from underage dancers surfaced against an instructor at Canada’s most prestigious ballet company.
News
July 4, 2018 – Former Winnipeg ballet students allege intimate photos sold by photographer —
The following article appeared on CTV News on July 4, 2018. Visit the original article here.
TORONTO — A judge has ruled that a class-action lawsuit can proceed against the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and a photographer who is alleged to have taken intimate photos of students.
Lawyer Margaret Waddell says about 60 people have been identified so far as potential class-action members in the lawsuit against the ballet company and Bruce Monk, who worked as a photographer between 1984 and 2015.
News
May 2, 2018 – Iranian activist awarded defamation damages after anonymous web harassment —
The following article appeared in the Canadian Lawyer on May 2, 2018. Visit the original article here.
An Iranian LGBTQ activist based in Germany has been awarded damages by a Canadian court for egregious defamations, after the judge ruled that the defendant was most likely responsible for anonymous web posts.
Shadi Amin, otherwise known as Soheila Amintorabi, brought claims against Arsham Parsi, otherwise known as Alireza Abrishami, in Toronto Small Claims Court because she believed he was behind anonymous posts on multiple websites and letters sent to Amnesty International and the BBC. Parsi, who is an Iranian LGBTQ activist based in Toronto, maintains that he was not responsible for the posts. Amin says that the anonymous posts hurt her career and personal relationships.
News
January 25, 2018 – Lawyer wonders if new corporate accountability watchdog will have teeth —
The following article appeared in the The Lawyer Daily on January 25, 2018. Visit the original article here.
The government’s announcement to establish an ombudsperson to investigate allegations of human rights abuses linked to Canadian corporations working abroad comes with no timeline on when the role will be filled and active.
News
December 13, 2017 – Guatemalan women take on Canada’s mining giants over ‘horrific human rights abuses’ —
The following article appeared in the The Guardian on December 13, 2017. Visit the original article here.
A group of indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ women has launched a precedent-setting legal challenge that could cast a chill over Canada’s vast mining interests.
News
November 27, 2017 – ‘New era’: Canadian mining industry closely watching three civil cases alleging human rights abuses —
The following article appeared in the National Post on November 27, 2017. Visit the original article here.
Breakthrough reported in efforts to make Canadian-based mining companies accountable on home turf for violations they’re accused of abroad
