Leslie Swartman, the director of communications for the Leader of the Official Opposition, just distributed the following to newsrooms in the nation’s capital:
Neither Mr. Dion nor any member of the Liberal Party will apologize. If anyone owes an apology, it is the Prime Minister to the Canadian people.
What we are witnessing is yet another example of the Prime Minister silencing his critics and shutting down debate by threat and intimidation.
This is what is known as a 'libel chill' – using the threat of a libel suit to remove an issue from where it should be rightfully debated: before the Canadian public. It is Mr. Dion's duty and responsibility to raise these issues before the Canadian public to get the answers they deserve.
Rather than using the courts to intimidate critics, the Prime Minister should simply provide credible answers to straightforward questions.