Background: The action was dismissed under Ontario's anti-SLAPP legislation, aimed at preventing lawsuits that silence free speech on matters of public interest.
Facts: Jiang Zhu sued Yigong Pang and others, including Cybermedia Network Inc., over statements made against him. The court found some merit in Zhu's claims but ultimately dismissed the action as an anti-SLAPP case.
Issues/Main Discussion: Whether the defendants should be awarded full indemnity costs and, if not, the appropriate amount for costs.
Ruling: The court awarded $60,000 to the individual defendants and $30,000 to Cybermedia, on a partial indemnity basis, rejecting the full indemnity costs due to considerations like the nature of the litigation and the parties' conduct.
Amount Awarded: Total of $90,000 in costs to the defendants, payable by Zhu within 60 days.
