Canada prides itself on a transparent justice system, its courts open to the public. Which is why a Halifax case awaiting a Supreme Court decision is such a lightening rod. At issue is the question of whether a teenage girl can sue anonymously for defamation over a case of cyber-bullying on Facebook, even while keeping the actual words written about her also secret. It is a case that has civil libertarians intervening worried about the message this would send.

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Part Three of The Current

Confession to murder - Doc Promo

Coming up tomorrow on The Current... we'll bring you the remarkable story of an Ontario teenager who went missing 19 years ago. Christine Harron's body has never been found. Despite that many believe the case should never have gone cold because less than a decade ago there was a confession.

Investigative filmmaker David Ridgen has spent 3 years uncovering this story - a story of police mistakes and - for her mother and stepfather - Mary Ann and Shawn Russwurm ...dashed hopes. We aired an excerpt from David Ridgen's documentary, Confession to murder. The documentary airs tomorrow on The Current.

Facebook Defamation Case

If a Halifax family's allegations are true -- there's little to admire about whoever posted a picture of their 15 year old daughter on a Facebook page and wrote scurrilous remarks about her looks and sex life. And the daughter has many reasons to be hurt and angry. Her father believes she has every right to sue for defamation. We heard from him.

Well, it did go to the Supreme Court of Canada. We can't identify the family because the matter is still before the courts. And if the family members have their way -- they never will be identified. Exactly what was written on the Facebook page will never be public. And the court proceedings will be secret. They hope to sue for defamation -- anonymously.

The case is going to the Supreme Court, because a lower court in Nova Scotia ruled the girl would have to identify herself if she wanted to take action against the alleged bully. But the family says revealing their daughter's name would just re-victimize her.

On the other side of the argument is a coalition of media organizations and civil liberties groups. They say allowing the case to proceed anonymously defies the Canadian principle of open courts; the public has an interest and a right to know what unfolds in the defamation case if it goes forward.

Michelle Awad is a partner with McInnes Cooper and the lawyer for a client who says she was defamed. She was in Halifax. And Iris Fischer is a lawyer with Blakes law firm in Toronto, and counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. She was in Toronto.

This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar and Gord Westmacott.

Last Word - Facebook Justice

We've been talking today about being bullied and defamed on Facebook. With almost one billion users, there's a fair potential for some serious defamation. And for social ostracism. And for wounded pride.

Facebook can be a minefield for hurt feelings. Teen actress Allisyn Ashley Arm from the TV sitcom, So Random performed a song about it. On today's Last Word, we ended with some Facebook justice.

Other segments from today's show:

• Snakehead Invasion
• Checking - In