Toronto Mayor responds to libel notice from Toronto Star reporter
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto, Ontario in Canada, responded yesterday — with an apology which was not accepted — to libel proceedings served to him by lawyers for Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale on Thursday.

Image: The City of Toronto.
The proceedings were filed in response to comments made in a televised discussion with Conrad Black on the VisionTV program "theZoomer" on December 9, in which Ford allegedly insinuated pedophilia by Dale. On Monday, Dale announced he intended to proceed with a statement of claim after Ford failed to respond to the libel notice in a timely manner.
In his apology, delivered at a Toronto city council meeting yesterday, Ford stated it was never his intention to suggest Dale was a pedophile, and he never personally witnessed the reporter in his backyard or peering over his fence, as alleged in the television program. He said the allegations were based upon the word of a long-time neighbour, that someone had been "lurking" near the Mayor's backyard.
Dale was not present in the council chambers at the time of the Mayor's statement, and has indicated he deemed the apology insufficient, and will be proceeding with a defamation action in an Ontario court.
Related news
- "Toronto Star reporter pursues legal action against Toronto Mayor" — Wikinews, December 14, 2013
Sources
- "Rob Ford apology not enough for Toronto Star reporter in libel claim" — CBC News, December 17, 2013
- Jill Mahoney, Ann Hui and Elizabeth Church. "'Super sorry' Rob Ford apologizes to council, reporter who sued him" — The Globe and Mail, December 17, 2013
- Ann Hui. "Dale goes ahead with libel suit after deadline for apology from Ford passes" — The Globe and Mail, December 16, 2013