Why is this man not being sued? Possible conflict of interest?

Wetaskiwin, Alberta Crown Prosecutor Lionel Chartrand

2nd Floor, 5201-50 Avenue

Telephone: (780)361-1206

Fax: (780) 361-1468
lionel.chartrand@gov.ab.ca

Murray Norman Trachtenberg

mtrachtenberg@ptlaw.mb.ca

www.ptlaw.mb.ca

Good Day Readers:

Truth To Power

A special thank you to The Public Eye (www.accesstoinfo.blogspot.com) for publishing this public domain document.

Sincerely,

Clare L. Pieuk

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18 August 2009

Alberta Provincial Crown Prosecutor / Former Manitoba Lawyer Lionel Chartrand and "The Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. and its Board of Directors"

POSNER & TRACHTENBERG
Barristers, Solicitors & Notaries Public
710-491 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E4
Fax: (204) 944-8878

Gerald S. Posner
Manitoba & Ontario Bars

Murray N. Trachtenberg, B.A., LL.B.
_____________________________________________
Direct Line: (204) 940-9602
e-mail: mtrachtenberg@ptlaw.mb.ca

February 9, 2004

Lionel R.R. Chartrand
Barrister & Solicitor
6 Braswell Bay
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3X 2B5

Dear Mr. Chartrand:

Re: Cybersmokesignals.Com
My File No. 2003-20

I am counsel to the Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. and its Board of Directors.

I have reviewed your article dated February 5, 2004 posted on the above-noted website.

You have been repeatedly identified in the past as general counsel to this website and I therefore assume that it is in that capacity that the article was written. I am also aware of previous articles posted to the website over your name, all related to the issue of Metis hunting rights, and your apparent disagreement with the position taken by the Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. with regard to this matter and its dealings with the Manitoba government.

Your article of February 5, 2004 contains numerous false statements and is defamatory of both Mr. Chartrand and the entire Board of Directors of the Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. Amongst the defamatory and false statements are the following:

“In fact, he was so upset he temporarily lost his mind and did the right thing …”

“What he did, his judgment impaired by anger, was to preach exactly what I have been saying all along …”

“The poor fellow is confused, conflicted and most of all contradictory … Then he told us not to engage in wildlife harvesting until the government said we could.”

“For new CyberSmokeSignals’ readers who may not be closely monitoring David Chartrand’s public statements, he has been travelling throughout Manitoba advocating that Metis should not hunt until there’s a signed co-management agreement in place otherwise they could be charged.”

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out and predict that these charges will be dismissed. With someone like David on the provincial payroll so eager to undermine and sell our hunting, fishing and other aboriginal rights, do you really think for a moment the Doer government would risk upsetting him so he goes around criticizing politicians in the MMF’s Grassroots News sounding more and more like me every day. They don’t have to – they’re already manoeuvring him around the chessboard with ease and he’d not bright enough to figure it out.”

“How can we expect any respect after David caved in because he’s simply incapable of understanding the real significance and intricacies of the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent ruling. That’s why he’s not insisting both the letter and spirit of the law be upheld.”

“But remember after you kiss and make up with Conservation Minister Stan Struthers and his department, thus ensuring an uninterrupted, well-lubricated flow of money for you to “administer” (We know you need and are using a good portion of it for election campaigning!) and return to being a government lackey, we will be continually quoting what you said in the January 28, 2004 edition of your newspaper.”

This is to inform you that legal action will be commenced in the future against you, Mr. Terry Belhumeur, registered domain holder for cybersmokesignals.com, and his employee, Mr. Claire L. Pieuk.

I suggest that you immediately arrange for your defamatory article to be removed from the website and issue a full and complete retraction and apology to Mr. Chartrand and the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. in order to mitigate the damages that will be sought from you.

Yours truly,

MURRAY N. TRACHTENBERG
MNT/lec

cc: Terry Belhumeur
D:\Litigation\MMF\2003\20\lionel.chartrand.ltr.1.wpd
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