Court awards nearly $300K to woman targeted by malicious lawsuit

A Quebec Superior Court judge has ordered nursing home owner Eddie Savoie to pay nearly $300,000 in damages and other coststo thedaughter of a nursing home residentwhom he tried to sue for defamation.

JusticeGary D.D. Morrison granted the sum for damages stemming from a $400,000 lawsuit that Savoie launched against Pierrette Thriault-Martel in 2011.

Savoie launched the suit after Thriault-Martel began questioning her dying mothers treatment and raising concerns about the quality of patient services at the Savoie-owned CHSLDSt-Lambert-sur-le-Golf.

Among other indignities cited by Thriault-Martel, her mother did not have her diaper changed regularly.

In 2013, Quebec Superior Court ruled that Savoies lawsuit was abusive and granted Thriault-Martel leave to counter-sue him for damages.

The court ruled that the sole purpose of Savoie'soriginal lawsuit was to silence and intimidateThriault-Martel.

In a statement, Thriault-Martels lawyer, Jean-Pierre Mnard, heralded Morrisons decision as a victory for whistleblowers and free speech.

It is a judgment that will help those who defend the rights of tenants and consumers, those who work to protect the environment and all caregivers in the field of health defending the everyday rights of of their families who are not receiving the care they deserve, Mnard said.

This is also an important victory for freedom of expression in a society where powerful interests seek too often to limit or prevent the public debate on key issues affecting all citizens, hesaid.

Mnard called his client a woman of heart and courage and said the award of nearly $300,000 in the case is a significant improvement over previous cases, which were never granted more than $50,000 in damages.

Others in her place would have given up, but she fought on, he said.