Paul Bliss, a former CTV reporter, sued CTV Television Network Ltd. and Bell Media Inc. for defamation following news broadcasts detailing sexual harassment allegations against him.
The defendants moved to dismiss the action for lack of jurisdiction, arguing the dispute arose under a collective agreement.
The court found that while the initial broadcast might relate to employment obligations, subsequent broadcasts with salacious details went beyond workplace issues and into general news reporting.
Therefore, the defamation claim did not arise under the collective agreement, and the court retained jurisdiction.
The defendants' motion was dismissed, and costs were awarded to the plaintiff.
