The lawyer for a former West Vancouver MP told a B.C. Supreme Court justice that a sensational story published by The Province newspaper was the result of a deliberate smear campaign that ruined the career of “a capable politician.”
Lawyer Jay Straith told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Jane Dardi that family members with a personal “vendetta” and a number of “political operatives” who wanted then-Liberal MP Blair Wilson out of office worked together to feed damaging information to a Province reporter. The resulting story, Family Exposes MP’s Trail of Debt, published in Oct. 27, 2007, was a “character assassination” that painted Wilson as financially irresponsible and unfit for public office, said Straith.
Following publication of the story, Wilson resigned from the Liberal caucus and sat as an independent. He was ultimately rejected by the Liberal party and ran for re-election as a Green Party candidate in West Vancouver, losing that election.
Straith described the article and the events leading up to it as “the deliberate destruction of a man’s reputation, for financial and political gain.”
Straith made his comments Wednesday during opening arguments in a defamation trial in B.C. Supreme Court. Wilson is suing The Province newspaper, reporter Elaine O’Connor and Wilson’s father-in-law William Lougheed. Also named in the lawsuit are blogger Steve Janke, who published the contents of an anonymous letter alleging wrongdoing by Wilson in the 2006 federal election campaign; Judi Tyabji, a former B.C. Liberal MLA married to one-time B.C. Liberal leader Gordon Wilson, and Mark Marissen, a Liberal political strategist and the ex-husband of B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Wilson has alleged Tyabji and Marissen were among the political players who worked with Lougheed to supply information about him to both The Province and to senior Liberal officials.
“This is not a case where an investigative journalist stumbles across this,” said Straith in his opening argument. Straith said it was a part of a deliberate plan to get a “legally unfounded” story about Wilson into the media.
Straith said the case concerns the media’s “responsibility to properly and thoroughly confirm information when serious allegations are made” particularly “serious accusations are being made against persons involved in public life.”
Those being sued by Wilson have denied that they defamed him.
Straith said Lougheed wanted to get back at his adopted daughter Kelly Wilson and her husband Blair Wilson because of a dispute over the estate of his late wife Norma Lougheed.
Straith said O’Connor met with Lougheed and others, at Lougheed’s home to discuss allegations later included in the story, including the assertion that Blair Wilson owed Lougheed over $2 million.
Straith said that wasn’t true.
Straith added there was no “deathbed loan” made by Norma Lougheed to Wilson, as Lougheed claimed in the Province article.
Straith said in court that people including Tyabji and Marissen “interested in causing political damage to Blair Wilson” also got involved in the case.
Straith said Tyabji told O’Connor in a recorded phone conversation she wanted Wilson removed as the sitting MP before an anticipated federal election and replaced with another candidate. An anonymous letter alleging Election Act violations by Blair Wilson was “put together by political adversaries of Blair Wilson to assist themselves,” said Straith.
He said both Tyabji and Marissen circulated allegations that Wilson was guilty of Election Act misconduct among senior levels of the Liberal Party.
Straith said one of the people who helped gather material to use against Wilson was “the campaign manager of Blair Wilson’s political opponent.”
Straith said Wilson was eventually cleared by Elections Canada of all but two minor issues and Lougheed later largely dropped claims of money being owed by Wilson.
But the damage was already done.
“These damages are not just the loss of his salary and pension as a member of parliament. This is a direct attack on the privacy of persons in public life and on the democratic process,” said Straith.
Wilson is seeking both general and punitive damages. The defendants named in the case are fighting the defamation claim. About seven lawyers representing various parties were in the courtroom Wednesday. The case, which was launched over seven years ago, is expected to take a number of weeks.
Outside the court, Wilson said he pursued the case because it’s the only way he has to redeem his character.
“My reputation and the trust that I had in the people of West Vancouver are important to me,” he said. “For eight years it’s been all about justice and getting to the truth.”
Wilson said what was printed about him was “devastating.”
“It destroyed my career politically and nearly destroyed my family’s entire life,” he said.
Wilson has since moved to Kelowna and owns a commercial apple orchard with his wife.
The trial continues.
