A new chapter in the war of words between legislative clerk Tim Mercer, MLA Steve Norn and now-suspended chief electoral officer Nicole Latour played out Friday afternoon, Sept. 17.
Steven Cooper, who according to the release represents Norn and is SA国际影视传媒減revious counselSA国际影视传媒� for Latour, issued a press release that claimed MercerSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyers sent him a cease-and-desist letter dated Sept. 9 accusing his clients of defaming theirs. In it, Kristan A. McLeod of the Sherwood Park, Alta. office of Chivers Carpenter Lawyers writes that Mercer does not want to have any more direct contact with Norn or Latour.
McLeod cited individual CBC News and Cabin Radio articles posted on Aug. 27 and 28 respectively as including defamatory statements and issued the caveat that there could be more examples that Mercer is not aware of.
Reached over email Friday, McLeod was tight-lipped.
SA国际影视传媒淢r. Mercer intended that his statement upon the release of the Quintet investigation report would be his last public statement on this matter given that he accepts the findings of the third party investigator and is moving on. This further communication from Mr. Norn, Ms. Latour, and Mr. Cooper merits no response.SA国际影视传媒�
Cooper had more to say.
SA国际影视传媒淚 would certainly welcome, I have confirmed with Ms. Latour and Mr. Norn that they would certainly welcome, an opportunity to explore that allegation (of defamation),SA国际影视传媒� he said in an interview.SA国际影视传媒漁r Mr. Mercer will give us that opportunity should he decided to commence an action for defamation. Do we think he has any chance of winning? No. Not at all.SA国际影视传媒�
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RELATED REPORTING: Norn lawyer attacks consultantSA国际影视传媒檚 review of legislature clerkSA国际影视传媒檚 office
Undeterred by the notice from McLeod to SA国际影视传媒渃ease and desist from making, publishing or causing to be published statements regarding Tim Mercer that are untrue, defamatory, or derogatory,SA国际影视传媒� Norn and Latour stuck to their guns with quotes provided in CooperSA国际影视传媒檚 news release.
SA国际影视传媒淚 expressed my concerns about the conduct of the clerk and his office during the recent Quintet investigation,SA国际影视传媒� Latour said. SA国际影视传媒淢y concerns were dismissed and disregarded. Until the relationship between the clerk of the Legislative Assembly and the elected members are normalized, true democracy cannot be said to exist in the Northwest Territories.SA国际影视传媒�
Norn said in the release that he expects a more formal dynamic between the clerk and elected members of the legislature. He said Mercer, and now acting clerk Glen Rutland, talk to MLAs like they are employees.
SA国际影视传媒淢y complaint against the clerk of the Legislative AssemblySA国际影视传媒檚 office remains unresolved, and our government continues to be dysfunctional in its relationship with the clerkSA国际影视传媒檚 office.SA国际影视传媒�
