John Mutton of Municipal Solutions has issued a letter to incumbent Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster demanding an immediate public apology and retraction of what he described as defamatory statements.
A conversation between Mayor Foster and Deputy CAO/Solicitor Rob MacIver, during a June 2 Clarington meeting, referred to an alleged leak of confidential information. During the course of the conversation, two individuals were named.
Following is the relevant text of Mutton’s letter dated June 4, and also published on social media.
“RE: Immediate Demand for Public Apology and Retraction of Defamatory Statements
Mayor Foster,
This letter serves as a formal and unequivocal demand that you immediately retract and publicly apologize for your recent defamatory and irresponsible remarks, in which you, through the municipality’s solicitor, publicly named both myself and my client and falsely implied that we had obtained confidential municipal information through improper or nefarious means.
Let me state for the record—and so that there is no ambiguity—that any and all information received by me or my business was obtained lawfully and legitimately in the ordinary course of my professional activities. There has been no breach of confidentiality, no unethical conduct, and absolutely nothing to justify your reckless public insinuations.
Your public disclosure of our names, and your baseless implication of misconduct, constitute a serious breach of your duty as a public official. It was not only false and defamatory, but also a deliberate attempt to smear reputations without evidence or justification. Your conduct raises serious concerns about your judgment and integrity in office.
As an elected official, you are expected to act with honour, fairness, and respect for the legal rights and privacy of individuals. Your conduct in this matter falls short of those expectations, and in fact, demonstrates a gross abuse of your public platform. Your statements were not only beneath the dignity of your office, but they have also opened the door to liability which I will not hesitate to pursue if a swift and appropriate remedy is not provided.
That said, I will extend a note of appreciation—for inadvertently acknowledging, to the public, the effectiveness, reach, and networking capabilities of my business. While your remarks were inappropriate and defamatory, they have nonetheless served to highlight the high caliber of insight and access that my work provides to clients.
I hereby demand the following actions, to be completed no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of this letter:
- A full and unqualified public apology, for your comments, to be made in the same forum or with the same level of publicity with which the original statements were made;
- A complete retraction of your defamatory insinuations, acknowledging that there is no evidence whatsoever of any improper conduct by me or my client; and
- A written confirmation that you have complied with these demands.
Should you fail to comply within the stated timeframe, I will not hesitate to initiate formal legal proceedings against you in your personal and official capacity.
Govern yourself accordingly.
John Mutton
Municipal Solutions”
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