Alberta political web series back online after judge dismisses injunction

Citizen journalist Nate Pike is the host of the Alberta political podcast The Breakdown. (CTV News)

A judge has dismissed an injunction that caused an Alberta political web series to temporarily shut down.

Nate Pike’s The Breakdown turned its lights off for two weeks following complaints by MHCare and its Edmonton-based CEO, Sam Mriache.

The two-week court order contained two injunctions: a mandatory one ordering The Breakdown to remove content and a prohibitive injunction preventing The Breakdown from publishing any more.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

The application was made within a claim against Pike alleging defamation, with the applicants seeking $6 million in damages. Pike has denied the allegations.

The application sought to stop Pike from posting or reposting any words, audio or other content related to Mraiche and MHCare.

The court heard Pike’s appeal last week, and the application for the injunction was dismissed by Justice Bonnie L. Bokenfohr on Monday morning.

The justice said the applicant “did not establish that the defences of justification, fair comment and responsible communication in the public interest will inevitably fail, or that it is beyond doubt that any defence raised by the respondent is not sustainable,” according to a spokesperson with the Court of King’s Bench Alberta.

Over multiple episodes, Pike alleged MHCare was awarded two controversial contracts from the province he believes were sole-sourced and that Mraiche later invited multiple politicians into a free VIP box for Edmonton Oilers playoff hockey games.

In an affidavit, Mriache claimed, “The consequent hate that I am receiving from (The Breakdown’s) readers, listeners, and/or followers, as well as the threats made against myself and MHCare, have caused me to be extremely fearful for my safety, my family’s safety and safety of the employees and agents of MHCare and their families.”

The Breakdown was back on social media Monday, announcing a new episode of the show after two weeks without posts.

With files from CTV News Calgary’s Damien Wood and Timm Bruch