City Mayor sues local newspaper for Defamation

Gustafson’s column allegedly accuses Dionne of being behind the For Sale sign at the city-owned Margo Fournier Centre, which she stated went up without input from the building’s users.

“The idea most likely came from the headstrong mind of our mayor, Greg Dionne,” Gustafson wrote.

She also stated Dionne is, “Not known for his reflective nature or for following protocol,” and, “This move to put city buildings up for sale has his fingerprints all over it.”

Gustafson insinuated Dionne was behind the selling of the city property to help the Gateway Mall, which he formerly managed.

“There is no evidence of a conflict of interest”, she wrote, “but there is a pattern of connections here that suggest the mayor’s former employer may well be the party looking to buy a city-owned facility.”

In her own response to Dionne’s spoken action Gustafson did not go in to much detail, but stood by the statements she made in her column.

“I defer to the (Daily) Herald for comment other than to say I believe it was a fair comment on an issue of community interest,” she said.

The editor at the Daily Herald could not be reached for comment.

The Margo Fournier Centre serves as a multi-purpose recreation facility that also houses the Community Services Office, the Youth Activity Centre, the Eagles Nest Youth Ranch, and the Kinsmen Community Heritage Senior Centre.

According to Dionne, those who use the facility are now upset based on Gustafson’s column.

“She has unduly fired up and cause the seniors quite a bit of concern,” Dionne said to paNOW. “I’m just tired of this kind of speculative…and opinionated reporting and it really got the seniors upset unnecessarily.

“It’s my intention to vigorously pursue this because of that.”

Dionne is seeking financial compensation from the Prince Albert Daily Herald, though he stressed the funds will be used to pay his lawyer, and the balance of the money will be donated to the Heritage Centre.

paNOW will have more on this developing story in the days to come.

news@panow.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow

by Spencer Sterritt

City Mayor sues local newspaper for Defamation

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