On this date (March 2) in 1835, Joe Howe defended himself on charges of seditious libel in the courtroom that is now the legislative library at Province House 1/
Howe had used his newspaper, The Nova Scotian, to call out corruption among the magistrates in Halifax, and they in turn charged him with libel. The judge instructed the jury to convict, but after Howe's 6-hour defence, they found him not guilty. 2/
Some commentators, and I think this starts with John Ralston Saul, Canada's public philosopher, have attributed the trial to the beginning of freedom of speech in Canada. I don't know enough about legal history to know how true that is, but the idea is widely accepted 3/
Every year, I have it in mind to write an essay about Howe and the trial, but I never seem to get around to it. That's because I feel I need a better contextual understanding of the time and Howe's place in it, and that means a lot more reading, which frankly, I'm too busy for 4/
I wonder what role Howe played in the broader colonial legacy. It appears to be, well, complicated. He was opposed to confederation, and this American-born commentator needs to more fully understand what he meant by "responsible government." 5/
I also want to know his attitudes towards Indigenous and Black people, just to better place him in the colonial context. And, I have no idea where he stood on the US Civil War (many Haligonians supported the south). 6/
So, I don't write that essay every year. But I very much like the idea, maybe the myth? of the birth of freedom of speech, so can take that on its own terms. 7/
And so, everyone should watch the 1961 National Film Board film, "Joseph Howe: The Tribune of Nova Scotia"nfb.ca/film/joseph_ho…
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