Today Ontario passed an act that protects freedom of speech on matters of public interest. The Protection of Public Participation Act, 2015 will allow the public to participate more freely in public discussions without fear of retribution by giving them a better way to defend themselves against strategic lawsuits, commonly known as SLAPPs (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation). The threat of a strategic lawsuit, which can be lengthy and expensive, is often used as a means to intimidate or punish opponents and discourage others from speaking out…[It] contains a number of elements that will reduce the risk of citizens being threatened with legal action when speaking out on matters of public interest, including:  

• A new fast-track review process that will allow the courts to quickly identify and deal with strategic lawsuits
• New protections for individuals from defamation lawsuits when their concerns are reported to the public through a third party, such as a blogger or a reporter
• Faster and less expensive procedures at boards and tribunals that will allow parties to make written submissions about legal costs instead of making submissions in person…