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Home My WebLink AboutZurich Citizens News, 1978-10-05, Page 30Citizens News, October 5, 1978 SIGN UP FOR HOCKEY — During Thursday's registration for the Zurich Minor Hockey Association, David Smith and Brian Horner sign up for the coming season with president Gord Smith. Staff photo Charges cost Riddell $8450 Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell said Wednes- day it has cost him $8,450 in legal expenses to defend himself against. charges related to the recent 162 -day strike at Fleck Manufac- turing Ltd. That figure could go higher, even though the United Auto Workers union earlier this month dropped a charge of interfering with a trade union, laid under the Ontario Labor Relations Act, against the Liberal MPP. Still outstanding is a notice of intent filed by the UAW against Riddell under the Libel and Slander Act over remarks made by the MPP in connection with the controversial strike. Cost aside, however, Riddell continues to main- tain an unwavering convic- tion that he, as a provincial legislator, should never have been put in a position of having to defend himself against the charges by the union. feel as strongly about this today as I did then (when the strike was still in progress)," he said. "When MPPs start to avoid taking a stand on an issue because they think they may be sued, well, that doesn't speak too well for our political system." It's a point Riddell intends to pursue when the legislature reconvenes next month, bolstered by what he describes as "a lot of public support over this issue. The people have been writing letters saying it's a crime if a member can't speak up on an issue without being taken to court." Along with the support have come donations — ap- proaching "nearly half" of his present expenses, says Riddell — to him personally and to the Huron -Middlesex Liberal Association, from consitutents, non - constituents, private organizations and "people I've never met." The donations have ranged between $25 and $100 but a few have :"exceeded $100," admits Riddell. He said he saw no conflict in accepting the donations because they "were completely un- solicited." Liberal caucus colleagues and secretarial assistants also have contributed about $3,000, Riddell said in an in- terview Tuesday. Apart from about $1,000 which he has had to pay out of his own pocket, he ex- pected the remainder would be paid by the Liberal party, with the party eventually reimbursed by private donations. The bulk of the $8,450 legal bill will be paid to Sarnia lawyer James Bullbrook, a former MPP who represented Riddell at the legislature's procedural af- fairs committee hearings and subsequent hearings held by the Ontario Labor Relations Board. ;a!'y:S4:n:;.: Svv%.F ?.�.i:.yl •{%;.��}:: v:.;;r, •.;,' .a�ik'CS?.o-i'Y',d.'"u^;,'nti>sC3isa<v.•i.'?"wn'`!:!?t`'w•';•:f?f•1>x°i<''t:�'l.•''t'?.yN.''.�v�. •y'r`,�••''f••'.•}°ii::3' l.'RC+':i,?:i 6•r;yf•,.�•.aj:L;.'"yMO'Si Ladies' bowling Starlites vs Jolly Six Red Gables vs Roxy Rollers Ups & Downs vs Happy Gang Alley Oops vs Road Runners Town & Country vs Packers Pin Poppers vs Little Rascals Pauline Miller 568 0 Iva Reid 597 7 Sandra Dickert . 585, 7 Julie Bedard 492 0 Joanne Bengough 453 0 Isabel Becker 598 7 Cathy Koehler 549 2 Anita Faber 620 5 June Fisher 541 0 Leona Reichert 652 7 Elaine Beauchamp 583 6 Wendy Meidinger 576 1 3 14 19 18 2 2 9 14 17 8 14 6 High Single -- Mona Campbell — 301 High Triple -- Mona Campbell — 672 High Average -- Elaine Datars — 208 Riddell sought a ruling from the committee that his privilege as an MPP had been violated by the union's intent to sue him for libel and slander and its applica- tion for consent to prosecute Riddell under the labor relations act. The libel matter involved remarks made by Riddell to newsmen outisde the legislature which the union contended were "defamatory and false." The legislature committee eventually decided on a 4-3 vote that Riddell's privilege as an MPP had been breach- ed by the UAW, although it recommended no action be taken by the legislature against the union. The committee report is expected to come before the next session of the legislature and that's when Riddell intends to demand some type of action to protect MPPs from similar instances of legal suit out- side the house. The labor relations board granted the union consent to prosecute Riddell, the com- pany, its vice-president and a provincial police officer. Besides Bullbrook, Riddell retained the Toronto firm of Shibley, Righton and McCutcheon, which represented him at some of the labor relations board hearings and continues to be retained on the libel matter. • "Mr. Bullbrook's part has pretty well come to an end," Riddell said Wednesday. He saidbulk c t a the b k oftheos has involved the lawyer's presence at the numerous committee and board hearings, travel and accom- modation as well as con- sultations with the Toronto firm. "It's required a lot of, work," all of which should not have been necessary because he should have been exempted from legal action - undertaken by the UAW un- der the Legislative Assembly Act, said Riddell. "I'm going to tell (Premier William) Davis that if he's not willing to protect his members, he might as well scrap that part of the act. I'm really going to hammer at it." A spokesman for the UAW said the union's legal costs associated with the charges laid under the labor relations act include the other principals and would likely exceed Riddell's. fsto 440 41410 btol 1,10 fel 10, ^a fog tiot 410 iteit IF 410 toi few gif 40) t tit 400 0,0 44,1 AgricQ# A good name to grow by A l��pereent accurate spring weather prediction for this area It will be either wet or dry The point is, none of us knows what kind of spring awaits us. That's why it makes good sense to apply fertilizer now; and beat the spring rush of work, without being at the mercy of the weather. Taking care of this important job now does more than give you a head start next spring. Fall ploughing speeds the decomposition of residue, and applying some nitrogen with fall plowing further hastens the decomposition process. It improves soil tilth and the soil's ability to absorb winter moisture. Fall fertilization offers improved nutrient placement and lessens the labour and time pressures associated with the spring rush. So keep these e factsinmi mind!" • Fall application of phosphorus is a recommended practise. This element will be tightly, held in the soil. • With the exception of sandy soils, potassium can be effectively applied in the.Fall, too. • Plowed down nutrients are placed deeper and will be ' more available in the moisture zone during dry periods next `Summer. • Fall fertilization will make the spring rush a little less frantic and it'll give you a head start on top yields for the season ' to come. AgricoJ A good name to grow by Mervyn Erb Blender Manager Bruaefie lcJ,Ont. 482-3948 ..«. o.. ... .�.: -�.r. (Iscitit i • eft a 14(44 Ern tie (14 (14 sl� i i� i� is (14 y i� ll eve 4