An environmental group says a forestry company's lawsuit against it is an attempt to muzzle criticism.
Greenpeace has filed a statement of defence that says a defamation lawsuit by Resolute Forest Products is intended to silence the group's critique of company practices.
Resolute brought the case in 2013 after Greenpeace accused it of building roads and cutting trees in places it promised it wouldn't, as well as of mishandling workers' pensions.
The company alleges those claims hurt its reputation and cost it a coveted eco-friendly certification.
Greenpeace retracted the road-building claim, but calls the rest of its allegations fair comment.
Resolute has filed a similar lawsuit against the environmental auditors that revoked its Forest Stewardship Council status.