Babies For Export - Significance

“There can be no freedom of the press under autocracy, nor can there be autocracy so long as there is freedom of the press.”

—Diefenbaker in the House of Commons during the Babies for Export Case

Jack Kent Cooke acquitted on charges of libel.

Due to the issues it dealt with, the Babies for Export libel case received a great deal of attention, both nationally and internationally. The ensuing publicity created further awareness for social issues such as the state of public welfare in Alberta and the protection of a free and independent press. Until the trial had been concluded, both had been neglected.

Regardless of the alleged libellous nature of the article in question, under the Criminal Code of Canada, those charged with libel were granted a trial in their own province. Realizing that they could not charge Cooke, Dingman, or Whitton (who were all from Ontario) with libel, the government chose to charge the three with conspiracy to publish a defamatory libel, and further charged Cooke with allegedly counseling John Michaels to publish libellous material. This was a point the Alberta government was repeatedly challenged upon and at the close of the trial, a concrete change had not been named. However, in response to the case, federal Minister of Justice Isley said that the government was considering a revision of the statute that would ensure that those charged with any involvement in libel would be guaranteed a trial in their home province.

An IODE convention in Edmonton, ca. 1948.

In addition to the ruling’s support of the press and changes that were being made as a result, the welfare of Alberta received increased attention. The report commissioned by the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (I.O.D.E.), and written by Dr. Charlotte Whitton, had already prompted an Alberta Royal Commission on the issue, and would continue to create large-scale change in the welfare of Alberta.