Avi Benlolo wins defamation trial against Canadian Union of Postal Workers over free speech case

In April 2024, Avi Benlolo, faced a defamation trial in Ottawa over comments he made a decade earlier criticizing the Canadian Union of Postal Workers' (CUPW) participation in a pro-Palestinian march, alleging their support for Hamas. The court confirmed that unions like CUPW can be defamed and have a reputation to protect, but ruled in favor of Benlolo, finding his statements were based on a subjective honest belief, thus lacking malice. CUPW's failure to directly address the allegations when prompted may have impacted the trial's outcome, with the court emphasizing the importance of responding to media inquiries.

Avi Benlolo is a prominent Canadian human rights activist and former CEO of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, where he worked to combat anti-Semitism and promote tolerance. He is widely recognized for his educational outreach, advocacy, and contributions to public discourse on human rights and Holocaust remembrance.

CUPW, headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario is a public sector union in Canada that primarily represents workers within Canada Post, the country's postal service provider. 

McCarthy Tétrault advised Avi Benlolo with a team led by Paul Steep that included Christine Lonsdale, Lauren Weaver (Litigation); and Sonia Atwell (Intellectual Property Litigation Law Clerk).