WestJet warned by judge not to use any confidential Air Canada information
An Ontario court judge on Thursday directed WestJet not to use any confidential information the discount carrier may have on Air Canada.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer issued his warning on the first day of court proceedings in Air Canada's industrial espionage lawsuit against WestJet. Calgary-based WestJet agreed to the judge's request.
Air Canada did suffer a setback when Nordheimer declined to force WestJet to immediately turn over some documents.
The judge said an interim order forcing WestJet to turn over the documents was not necessary. A hearing on the issue will take place in June.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Calgary-based WestJet argued that the case should be heard in Alberta, even though Air Canada filed the suit in Ontario. Nordheimer will decide in late May where the case will be heard.
Air Canada filed the lawsuit against WestJet Airlines and two employees earlier this month, charging that the discount carrier obtained information about Air Canada using a private web site.
- FROM April 7, 2004: Air Canada suing WestJet over alleged use of private information
Air Canada alleges that WestJet used the personal identification number of a former Air Canada employee to access the private web site. The employee, Jeffrey Lafond, was hired by WestJet in its finance department.
The suit charges that between May 2003 and March 2004, Lafond's identification number was used over 243,000 times to access route and market information on Air Canada's private web site.