Two professors at Laurier University sue Lindsay Shepherd to record the disciplinary meeting

The couple argue in a claim from a third party that they could not have known that their statements about Jordan Peterson would be recorded or disseminated

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Two university professors from Ontario who are being sued for defamation by controversial author and teacher Jordan Peterson about comments made during a private meeting claim that a former teaching assistant who recorded the conversation is responsible for its wider publication.

Nathan Rambukkana and Herbert Pimlott, who teach at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, maintained their comments on Peterson were not defamatory, but argue in a third party claim that they could not have known that the statements would be recorded or broadcast outside of the November 2017 meeting.

The couple alleges Lindsay Shepherd, then teaching assistant had "power and control" over the recording and distribution of the conversation, and intended the contents of the meeting to become possible

therefore, they argue, if the court finds that Peterson suffered damage or injury, it would be "attributable to Shepherd and its publication and dissemination" of the recording.

The allegations have not been proven in court and Shepherd's attorney says the girl has not yet been given the document.

Howard Levitt says that while he has not seen the claim, his client will defend himself against the allegations. In addition, he says that the teachers' argument makes no sense given that the conversation was also shared by the media and others.

"Why do not you sue all the news agencies … they published it, if that's really your position?" Levitt told The Canadian Press.

Neither Rambukkana nor Pimlott responded immediately to requests for comment, but previously denied the allegations in Peterson's lawsuit.

At the heart of both suits is the 2017. meeting between the teachers, a staff member of Laurier and Shepherd, who was then a teaching assistant in Rambukkana's communications class.

According to Peterson's unproven claim, the disciplinary meeting was convened after Shepherd showed the students an excerpt from a TVOntario broadcast in which Peterson defends his opposition to neutral pronouns to the genre.

Peterson, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who has gained international attention for his views on freedom of expression and political correctness, alleges in his lawsuit that the professors and staff member compared him to Adolf Hitler and accused him of Be a "charlatan" during the course. of the meeting.

Shepherd recorded the discussion and then provided the audio to the media that requested it. However, Peterson's lawsuit alleges that the audio was posted on YouTube, where Peterson, who seeks $ 1.5 million in damages, alleges that anyone searching for his name online could be exposed to it.

"This has a significant impact on Peterson's history: reputation among those he deals with, including academics, future or existing students, the university he works at and those to whom he could read his books or listen to his lecture," his statement said. of demand.

It alleges that Wilfrid Laurier University is responsible for the conduct of its employees.

Shepherd, meanwhile, has filed his own lawsuit against Laurier alleging that the university behaved negligently and left her unemployed in the academic world after the incident. He refused to comment on the latest lawsuit because he has not seen the claim.

Wilfrid Laurier University said it would fight against the demands of Peterson and Shepherd.