Astley v Verdun, 2011 ONSC 3651, is a leading defamation decision released by Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
The case was publicized for the amount of damages awarded to the plaintiff, and the permanent injunction ordered against the defendant.
In 2004, Astley retired and became a director of the Bank of Montreal and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
[2] In December 2004, Verdun wrote an email to the Bank of Montreal chairperson to complain about Astley's appointment to the board.
Instead, Verdun wrote to the Ontario Securities Commission to complain that Astley lacked the integrity to serve as director, and released the letter to the media.
[1][2] Over the years, Verdun publicly called Astley "unethical", "corrupt", "dishonest", "a petty operator", "lacking in integrity", and "motivated by greed".
[1] Verdun later wrote a book, The Fox in Charge of the Biggest Henhouse in Canada, which further defamed Astley.
[2] According to The Globe and Mail such defamation lawsuits are rare "because companies and their top brass don't want to look as if they're muzzling small shareholders."