ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A Corner Brook lawyer is alleging Fisheries and Land Resources Minister Gerry Byrne defamed him in a segment on CBC.
Graham Watton, a queen’s counsel lawyer in Corner Brook, has alleged for months that the provincial government erred in awarding a contract for the new Fisheries and Land Resources building in Corner Brook. Watton alleges the contract was improperly awarded to Marine Contractors, because the bid from the company was not read aloud at the opening of bids.
Watton’s company, Noton Enterprises, was one of the companies that bid on the contract.
Watton alleges Byrne’s comments defamed him, as they implied Watton was lying.
The comments in question, taken from a statement of claim filed by Watton in Corner Brook Supreme Court, are as follows.
“Absolutely no evidence of any substance whatsoever to what Mr. Watton has said.”
“The process was above and beyond and handled with total integrity.”
“I am very proud of the recipient. They put in a bid at best value.”
Watton says those words “tend to lower the reputation of (Watton) in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.”
Watton refers to the Collins English Dictionary, which states “if you say something has no substance, you mean that it is not true.”
While the statement of claim is directed only at Byrne, Watton names Transportation and Works Minister Steve Crocker, Humber-Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce and Service NL Minister Sherry Gambin-Walsh — who is also minister responsible for the public procurement agency — as third parties in the dispute.
The claim has not yet been tested in court.
In comments to the CBC, Byrne denies all allegations of wrongdoing in the matter.
A court date has not yet been set.
