Overview

• Justice Neil Robertson ruled that labeling McLean’s book “racist garbage” without reading it was “objectively false” and failed the defence of responsible communication.
• Stewart’s 2016 Facebook post on a Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism page helped prompt venues to cancel McLean’s book signing events.
• Candis McLean was awarded $6,450 in damages, a fraction of the $160,000 she sought, after an eight-year court battle.
• McLean said the lawsuit’s principle outweighed her roughly $40,000 in legal fees and underscored the need for scholars to verify claims before public criticism.
• The University of Regina, where Stewart is associate dean for academic integrity and equity, acknowledged the judgment and declined to comment.