Canadian biz columnist loses libel case

The former Canadian head of the Teamsters union has won a libel lawsuit against Vancouver Sun business columnist David Baines.

Neal Hall writes for the Sun that, “B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Sewell, in a ruling Friday, awarded Lawson $30,000 in general damages.

“The legal action stemmed from an article written by Baines and published on March 12, 2008, which was about events that happened in the 1980s.

“Lawson was seeking $100,000 in general damages and up to $50,000 in aggravated damages, claiming Baines showed malice in writing the column.

“Lawson’s lawyer, Roger McConchie, had argued that Baines had artfully crafted his article to imply that Lawson, the former Canadian head of the Teamsters union, was corrupt.”