Fedeli signals intent to sue Brown
Patrick Brown was served with his notice while publicizing his book in Scarborough. Former PC leader served over book’s allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’
Finance Minister Vic Fedeli is escalating his legal fight against allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” in a tell-all memoir by former Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown.
A lawyer for Fedeli has served Brown and his publisher with a letter signalling a notice of intent to sue and demanding a retraction of the passage in the 312-page book Takedown: The Attempted Political Assassina
tion of Patrick Brown. A statement of claim has not been filed.
“From a legal point of view, having reviewed the letter, we believe there’s no basis” for the demand, Dean Baxendale of Optimum Publishing International said Wednesday. Both he and Brown were served the letters last month, with Brown getting his at the Scarborough launch of his book at an Indigo store near Kennedy Rd. and Hwy. 401 five days before Christmas, sources said. The Star has not seen the letter and Fedeli’s office has declined requests for comment.
Brown was elected mayor of Brampton in November, shortly before the book came out.
In it, he wrote Fedeli was “accused…of inappropriate behaviour” by a female staffer who chose not to pursue a complaint while the PCs were in opposition prior to last June’s provincial election that brought Premier Doug Ford to power.
“I understand that soon after Fedeli became interim party leader, the woman was let go, but kept on the legislative payroll,” Brown added.
It is not unusual for political staff to leave or be dismissed after a change in leadership. The Star has not been able to confirm the allegation made by Brown.
“I did receive a lawyer’s letter requesting my publisher remove the reference in ‘Take Down’ which mentions a sexual misconduct complaint was made against Vic Fedeli which is perplexing as the CBC has already independently verified that a complaint was indeed made,” Brown said in a statement to the Star on Wednesday.
Baxendale noted the CBC story appeared Nov. 14 and added: “We state nothing more and nothing less in the book. We are therefore surprised that the lawyer for the finance minister would ask us to retract it.”
Fedeli’ s office has not responded to repeated requests for comment from the Star, but the finance minister from North Bay said Nov. 15 — on the eve of his fall economic statement on government finances — that “these accusations from Patrick Brown are categorically false and without any merit.”
He also accused Brown of “using his book to pursue old grievances” and warned he had retained counsel “to take whatever action is necessary.”
Fedeli was interim leader after Brown’s departure, once fa- mously saying he was rooting out “rot” in the party, and held the post until Ford took over following a leadership convention in March.
Brown said he considered Fedeli “the biggest betrayal” in the PC caucus, writing in the book that he “sucked up to me nonstop with compliments like ‘you’re the best leader we ever had’ and ‘you inspire me.’ He’d lay it on thick; it was over the top at times.”
There is a split of opinion in senior government and Progressive Conservative circles as to whether Fedeli should pursue any legal action, with one faction concerned about the potential fallout.