SLAPP is the acronym for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, a litigation used by large organizations, or sometimes even individuals to intimidate and silence less wealthy critics by so severely burdening them with the cost of a legal defence that they abandon their criticism. The acronym was coined in the 1980s by University of Denver professors Penelope Canan and George W. Pring. One marker of a SLAPP is whether the costs outweigh the damages claimed by a large amount; for example, damages of a few hundred dollars and costs in the tens of thousands. SLAPP can be attractive to lawyers because a marginal case can lead to high legal fees, and because clients actually encourage them to run up large costs.
Canada and the United States have had long experience with SLAPP litigation and several states have legislated against the practice. A Protection of Public Participation Act came into effect in British Columbia in April 2001. Unfortunately, the government that had passed the Act was later defeated and it was immediately repealed when the new pro-corporation government came to power. The threat of SLAPP litigation has been effective in suppressing criticism of corporate polluters across Canada.
Now it appears that the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Foods have resorted to SLAPP in Ireland and in Great Britain to try to silence the opponents of GM food in those countries (GM-Free Ireland Network and GM Watch). Canada has committed itself to GM crop production and is the biggest producer after the United States. The action by the Canadian Agriculture Ministry should serve as a warning to all organizations critical of GM crops, as the Ministry is promoting GM crops by intimidating the critics of the GM crops not only in Canada but also in other countries. More at
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/BiotechCanadaSLAPPScandal.ph...