Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has launched a defamation lawsuit against mayoral rival Kirk LaPointe and the Non-Partisan Association.
In a formal notice of claim filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia today, Robertson and fellow Vision Vancouver councillor Geoff Meggs allege that LaPointe, who is running under the NPA banner, made “false and defamatory” claims in The Province newspaper, the NPA’s website, at a press conference, and in TV and radio ads.
All of the statements in question surround what happened at a meeting of union CUPE Local 1004 last month.
In a leaked recording, Meggs told union members that “Gregor Robertson, our mayor, has again recommitted to not expand contracting out.”
CUPE later decided to give $34,000 to Vision.
According to Robertson and Meggs’ statement of claim, they believe LaPointe and the NPA made defamatory statements about the meeting in The Province:
On their website:
- Three B.C. men fined, banned from hunting after killing pregnant deer
- B.C. child-killer’s attempt to keep new identity secret draws widespread outrage
- Inquest hears B.C. hostage was lying on her captor before fatal shooting
- ‘We’ve had to make a 180’: What Oregonians say they got wrong with decriminalization
At a press conference:
And in political ads:
LaPointe has criticized Vision over the issue in several public forums, including a debate last month.
In the claim, Robertson and Meggs say the claims imply that Vision “cut a secret deal with CUPE”, “have breached their fiduciary duty as elected officials” and “are corrupt”. They also say that LaPointe and the NPA’s words were understood to mean that Robertson and Meggs “are dishonest politicians” who “ought not to be re-elected.”
Robertson and Meggs are seeking in interim and permanent injunction on the ads, along with a retraction and general costs.
The claim comes nine days before next Saturday’s municipal election, where LaPointe is Robertson’s main challenger.
In a release, LaPointe said “The NPA recognizes intimidation by lawsuit as a typical tactic of Robertson and Vision. This legal action can now be added to the countless costly, time-consuming suits involving community groups and individuals across the city.”
“While our legal team is currently reviewing Vision’s legal gambit, I look forward to meeting with the media tomorrow to elaborate on my reaction to it.”
Vision Vancouver spokesperson Marcella Munro says that neither Robertson nor the party will be commenting on the lawsuit.
However, when asked about the lawsuit directly by Global News, Robertson said the following:
“This kind of personal style attack is unacceptable to me. I think this needs to have legal action. It’s before the courts now, and they’ll decide the outcome.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
READ: The full statement of claim
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