[URBAN NOTE] "Defamation suit against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford dismissed"

[rfmcdonald]

The libel lawsuit against Mayor Rob Ford that went to trial in November has concluded, as CBC notes, with Ford being cleared.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been cleared in a defamation lawsuit after the complaint against him was dismissed Thursday by the Ontario Superior Court.

"I welcome today’s decision by the court to dismiss the Foulidis lawsuit against me. I will continue fighting to represent the best interests of Toronto taxpayers at city hall. There is still a lot of work to be done and I will continue to focus on this," Ford said in a statement issued by his office.

Restaurateur George Foulidis sued Ford over critical comments made in August 2010, while Ford was in the midst of his first mayoralty campaign, concerning a deal between the city and Foulidis's business, Tuggs Inc.

The comments were made when Ford was invited to discuss campaign issues with the Toronto Sun editorial board.

Ford was incensed at the time that the city gave an untendered 20-year lease extension to Tuggs Inc. for the continued operation of the Boardwalk Café along Woodbine Beach. Foulidis said Ford suggested he won the contract as a result of illegal activity.

Ford's lawyer, Gavin Tighe, argued the defence of fair comment, telling the court that Ford's comments were opinion. He cited defamation case law from the Supreme Court of Canada, saying Ford's remarks were not libellous unless the primary intent was to hurt Foulidis.

Steve Kupferman at Torontoist quotes what seems to be a key passage from the judge's ruling: "The defendant voiced only a suspicion of corruption which he, immediately and in clear terms, admitted was without factual foundation or insufficient for him to be able to say that anyone had done anything wrong."