See also LPF Editorial for December 10th: Sex Lawsuit bill is not Ontario's
| NDP women's issues critic Marion Boyd (London Centre)
was outraged that Harris claimed to care about Thompson. "It is disgraceful. We are fed up with your pretence that you care about Sandi Thompson. This is strictly a political settlement. It is the good old boys . . . coming to the rescue.'' |
By JEFF HARDER, Sun Media Queen's Park Bureau TORONTO -- Ontario
taxpayers are footing a $580,000 bill for former speaker Al McLean's sexual harassment
suit in order to "stop the bleeding,'' Premier Mike Harris says. The premier spent the bulk of the legislature's daily question period yesterday defending the out-of-court deal that killed a $830,000 lawsuit against McLean. Sandi Thompson, a former aide to McLean, filed the suit in 1996. Even though McLean resigned as speaker, he sued the assembly for wrongful dismissal. Under the resolution, Thompson collected $250,000, McLean received $130,000 for legal fees and the legislative assembly closed the books on its $200,000 legal costs. Harris said it was time to quit paying lawyers and solve the dispute. "A year from now it might have been four times this. We wanted to stop the rise. An assessment had to be made,'' Harris said. Harris accused Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty and NDP Leader Howard Hampton of playing political games. "There are two political parties playing politics with this issue. This was in the interests of Ms. Thompson. You are quick to run roughshod over rights and wishes of Ms. Thompson. You have forgotten the rights and wishes of Ms. Thompson,'' Harris said. NDP women's issues critic Marion Boyd (London Centre) was outraged that Harris claimed to care about Thompson. "It is disgraceful. We are fed up with your pretence that you care about Sandi Thompson. This is strictly a political settlement. It is the good old boys . . . coming to the rescue.'' |
Previous story: Speaker's suit payoff blasted
Next story: Should labour
encourage Strategic Voting Against the Tories?
Copyright © 1998 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation.
Marion Boyd, MPP London Centre
marionboyd@home.com