VANCOUVER -- A former star of "Real Housewives of Vancouver" denies she defamed castmate Jody Claman in the wake of a shooting that injured Claman's daughter.

Claman and her daughter, Mia Deakin, are suing former cast member Mary Zilba for comments Zilba made during a CBC interview the day after the shooting.

Deakin was wounded in June in a drive-by shooting in East Vancouver, though police said a man Deakin was with appeared to be the intended target.

The lawsuit alleged Zilba's comments to the CBC suggested Deakin associated with criminals.

Zilba has filed a statement of defence, rejecting Claman and Deakin's interpretation of her comments and insisting they weren't defamatory.

The statement of defence says that even if the court finds Zilba's comments were defamatory, they were either true or should be considered fair comment.