The Canadian Union of Public Employees of British Columbia (CUPE BC) is following in the footsteps of Mayor Gregor Robertson and Councillor Geoff Meggs by launching a defamation lawsuit against the Vancouver NPA party and Kirk LaPointe.
The suit is in response to the NPA’s claims of corruption and vote-buying relating to CUPE’s campaign donations to the Vision campaign in the recent civic election. The corruption allegations related to a total of $186,000 from CUPE BC and CUPE Local 1004.
“The libel of CUPE and the individual plaintiffs by the NPA and Kirk LaPointe is one of the most extreme forms of libel recognized by law, particularly of the individual plaintiffs,” CUPE BC said in a November 26 news release.
“The publications repeatedly accuse CUPE of criminal misconduct, and as well libels them in their profession and occupation.”
CUPE BC is seeking an unspecified amount in damages as well as an injunction and the removal of libelous statements from the NPA’s website.
Robertson and Meggs filed their suit November 6, also seeking damages and an injunction. The claim said the defendants “embarked upon a premeditated campaign to discredit the plaintiffs and their campaigns for re-election by way of a series of defamatory statements.”
The claim referred to an NPA ad that said, ““In turn for cutting a secret deal with CUPE to stop outsourcing the union cut a cheque to support Gregor Robertson’s party. That’s not a payday but a pay-off that puts Vancouver Vision’s interests ahead of the taxpayer.”
CUPE said the allegations will have a negative impact on the union’s ability to conduct collective bargaining in the future.
Vision’s breakdown of donations showed a total of $226,000 in contributions were received from CUPE, which in addition to the $186,000 also included $40,000 from CUPE Local 15.
- With files from Nelson Bennett
@EmmaHampelBIV
