Defamation is communication about a person that tends to hurt the person's reputation. The communication must be made to other people, not just to the person it's about. It can be spoken, which is called slander, Or it can be written, which is called libel. It can also be a gesture, which is a type of slander.
The law protects your reputation against defamation. If someone defames you, you can sue them to pay money (called “damages”) for harming your reputation. You have to sue in Supreme Court, not Provincial Court, and you have to sue within 2 years of the defamation. For more on the court system, check script 432, called “Our Court System and Solving Disputes.” You don’t have to prove that the people who heard or read the defamation actually believed it. Even if they knew it was false, it can still be defamation. Courts realize that lies can take on a life of their own.
