MMF Election 2010 coverage continues!

Good Day Readers:

To date Frank Godon (http://metisonline.ca) and Derryl Sanderson (www.derrylsanderson.blogspot.com) have publicly declared they are running in the Manitoba Metis Federation's 2010 election - the former as President the latter for the Board of Directors, Winnipeg Regional Office.

So you the Metis citizens of Manitoba can make an informed decision, in the days, weeks and months ahead we will be publishing a series of questions for candidates. Responses will be published for all to read. Anyone can participate by sending your inquiries/comments to pieuk@shaw.ca. You may remain anonymous.

Good Morning Candidates Godon (left) and Sanderson.

1. CyberSmokeBlog: The MMF is funded by Canadian taxpayers. Do you think the public has a right to know President David Chartrand's annual salary and benefits?

2. CyberSmokeBlog: The defunct website www.CyberSmokeSignals.com is being sued by the MMF for alleged defamation by Winnipeg lawyer Murray Trachtenberg.

www.ptlaw.mb.ca; mtrachtenberg@ptlaw.mb.ca

(a) Should the Federation be required to reveal how much has been spent to date on legal fees and from where in the budget the money is being taken?

(b) Since the last MMF election (June 29, 2006) Plaintiffs Ritta Cullen, William Flett, Joyce Langan and Darryl Montgomery ceased to be Provincial Board of Directors yet continue to have their legal costs paid from public funds. Do you agree?

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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City pays councillor's legal bill
VANESSA LU and PAUL MOLONEY
CITY HALL BUREAU
December 12, 2009

Toronto taxpayers are giving a councillor $60,000 after his colleagues voted Monday to pay for legal costs associated with a defamation suit.

But the decision is controversial because the lawsuit stemmed from an incident that occurred while Adrian Heaps was still just a candidate for council.

Now the city could find itself defending council's actions in court.

The move to pay his $36, 000 legal bill breaks the city's rules. Heaps will get a one-time payment of more than $60,000 (before taxes) on top of his salary of nearly $100,000.

City solicitor Ann Kinastowski advised against the payment, telling councillors the courts have made it clear "a municipay council has no authority to reimburse a member of council for legal expenses in relation to activity engaged in outside of the office of councillor."

Kinastowski warned the politicians the city could be at risk of a court challenge because council lacked the authority to make such a reimbursement."

At issue is an excerpt from a Globe and Mail column that Heaps reprinted and circulated in the days leading up to the 2006 election. It portrayed him as a favourite and suggested rival Michelle Berardinetti, who is married to Liberal MMP Lorenzo Bernardinetti, was not qualified for the job.

Bernardinetti lost by 89 votes. She filed a complaint with the press council against the Globe - which printed a correction and sued Heaps for defamation.

Bernardinetti eventually pushed for a settlement, which included an apology from Heaps and him paying $20,000 in legal costs.

"I was extremely surprised to see he's being compensated from taxpayer money. It's horrible," Berardinetti said Friday. She intends to ask the city to review it's decision.

City documents say the mounting legal bills were a financial strain on Heaps and he accepted the settlement to avoid personal bankruptcy and relieve the stress on his family. Bernardinetti said the remortgaged her home to pay legal bills.

Councillor Mike Del Grande, sho opposed the payment, said it should not be paid on principle.

"This guy was not a councillor. He was Joe Public. He did something that was inappropriate," Del Grande said. "I don't have anything Heaps. I have no axe to grind ... It's wrong every way you look at it.

Heaps did not return calls seeking comment.