Apology for Gordon Wilson

[mikest2]

...
It will be up to the judge to decide how much Wilson's reputation has been damaged. You offered an opinion and I will too. I believe his reputation was damaged by the actions of Horgan, Blaney, and Ralston and I believe he will collect damages. Whether it goes to court or is settled out of court remains to be seen. You answered your own question about blaming the victim, i.e. other than . . ." I will give you credit for directing some criticism at Horgan and company. That's certainly more than some others on here.

I believe that Wilson would be a fool to let it get to court, but he may well prove me wrong. Time will tell.

Victim blaming is when you blame someone for some or all of the harm resulting to them from the actions of another. It is not victim blaming to blame someone for their own actions or the consequences of their own actions where such consequences are justifiable and it is justifiable to have a lower opinion of someone for continuing with a frivolous defamation lawsuit after a very public apology has been received.

A simple apology does not cut it. What happened destroyed a human being, there is NO excuse for the behavior of Horgan, Ralston and Blaney. it doesn't matter what or who Gordon Wilson is or was. The three named in the suit made a life changing decision, Not Wilson's, but theirs. Has it occurred to any of you that this lawsuit has nothing to do with damages, but to make a statement and expose those who lied (that's right, lied) and drag them through the mud ? The press is going to have a field day ! What on God's green earth do any of the trio have to say in their defense ? I'm stupid is not going to cut it either ! I'm buying a big bag of popcorn for this show.........

[flamingfingers]

What happened destroyed a human being,

Don't be such a drama queen!!

There have been many people who have been fired and untrue comments made and they have not been 'destroyed'. Some people have even been charged publicly and have been hired, eg Laura Miller.

Oh, and what about Glen Clark who had to go to trial to be exonerated of all charges - now Pres and CEO of the Pattison Group, eh?

[neilsimon]

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A simple apology does not cut it. What happened destroyed a human being,

How? He's still alive, his reputation is damaged, but hardly that much that he can he can be considered "destroyed" as a result (those who thought lowly of him haven't changed and those who thought highly likely haven't changed either). Also, defamation law doesn't care how Wilson feels, it's all about his reputation and the damage done to it.

there is NO excuse for the behavior of Horgan, Ralston and Blaney. it doesn't matter what or who Gordon Wilson is or was.

Yes, I called their behaviour disgraceful, though they apologised in an attempt to right the wrong. Additionally, defamation suits are not at all about punishment, but solely about compensation for actual damage done.

The three named in the suit made a life changing decision, Not Wilson's, but theirs. Has it occurred to any of you that this lawsuit has nothing to do with damages, but to make a statement and expose those who lied (that's right, lied) and drag them through the mud ?

You mean, try to destroy their reputation over something they have apologised over? Isn't that rather petty and wasteful. Also, courts do not look kindly on being used to political end like that. They often punish those who are seen to engage in frivolous lawsuits.

The press is going to have a field day ! What on God's green earth do any of the trio have to say in their defense ? I'm stupid is not going to cut it either ! I'm buying a big bag of popcorn for this show.........

I suspect that we'll never find out, but they really don't need to say much. They have admitted to their wrongs already. Dragging this into court may well not even required their direct participation and may well just become a fact finding mission as the courts try to determine the damages done. Such a fact finding mission is unlikely to be interesting or benefit Wilson particularly.

Sorry, but it just sounds like you are trying to blow this out of proportion.

[Urbane]

No question we have uttering untruths (to put it nicely) and intent to harm Wilson's reputation on the part of Horgan and company. All you have to do is read what those three had to say and the intent to harm Wilson's reputation is obvious. From Mike Smyth's column which was linked to earlier in the thread:

“The things they said about me are absolutely outrageous and untrue,” Wilson said in an interview. “How could they do a ‘review’ of my work and not consider these documents? They never interviewed me or asked me a single question about the program before they fired me. What kind of ‘review’ is that?”

Also from Mike Smyth:

All in all, it’s a disgusting example of sleazy, gutter politics from the very top of an NDP government that promised to do things differently.

And the NDP'ers on here blame the victim for engaging in "a frivolous lawsuit" and/or they attack his reputation. The right thing to do is to admit the egregious errors made by Horgan and company. Whether it goes to trial or is settled beforehand Wilson will prove his case. The apologies from the three guilty parties have already opened the door.

[neilsimon]

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And the NDP'ers on here blame the victim for engaging in "a frivolous lawsuit" and/or they attack his reputation.

Wilson, through his ultimate response has damaged his own reputation. It's like this, if someone calls me a Nazi, and I get upset (justifiable), and completely overreact even after they apologise (not justifiable), I'm the one adding damage to my own reputation through my own actions. It's not victim blaming to lose respect for a victim of such a crime over their excessive response after the perpetrators have tried to make amends. In my opinion, he is completely overreacting by not just accepting the apology and moving on. That diminishes him in my opinion. Continuing to insist that such is victim blaming is just grasping at straws.
I'm not blaming him for being a victim, I'm blaming him for not being reasonable.

[Urbane]

Harvey Oberfeld, no friend of the Liberals, had this to say in a column titled "Keystone Cop Firing Explodes in Horgan’s Face":

The impression left of Wilson … and the $500,000 he collected over his term working for the Liberal government … was quite disparaging and personally negative, to say the least. .

But untrue!

Time to move on and look forward, Horgan suggested.

Too bad the Premier didn’t take his own advice after Wilson was fired …. and had to open up his mouth instead.

Harv Oberfeld

Full column: http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/keystone- ... gans-face/

[flamingfingers]

Well, Urbane, while you may feel that G.F.D. ('Flip") Wilson has a pristine reputation, it is obvious that many, many people do not feel the same. It will probably be a part of his lawsuit that will be taken into consideration if/when this case comes to court. Perhaps Christy will be put to oath to testify as to why she appointed him to the LNG file.

[Urbane]

Wilson, through his ultimate response has damaged his own reputation. It's like this, if someone calls me a Nazi, and I get upset (justifiable), and completely overreact even after they apologise (not justifiable), I'm the one adding damage to my own reputation through my own actions. It's not victim blaming to lose respect for a victim of such a crime over their excessive response after the perpetrators have tried to make amends. In my opinion, he is completely overreacting by not just accepting the apology and moving on. That diminishes him in my opinion. Continuing to insist that such is victim blaming is just grasping at straws.
I'm not blaming him for being a victim, I'm blaming him for not being reasonable.

You're splitting hairs by claiming that you aren't blaming the victim for the fact that Horgan and company lied (how could you??) and that your blame for his reaction doesn't count as blaming the victim. No, it's not the same as blaming a rape victim for the rape but it's still blaming the victim. You know, you can say that the apology made Wilson's response unreasonable and so his lawsuit would be frivolous, but I don't agree. More importantly, Wilson doesn't agree. And since he was the one lied about I think you should be cutting him a little slack rather than blaming him. Mike Smyth has it right. This was gutter politics and it's blown up in Horgan's face.

[flamingfingers]

Urbane - could you please quit reposting Smyth and Oberfeld's opinions time after time? We have read them and they are not considered of value any more, regardless of how many more times you repost them, OK?

[Urbane]

Well, Urbane, while you may feel that G.F.D. ('Flip") Wilson has a pristine reputation, it is obvious that many, many people do not feel the same. It will probably be a part of his lawsuit that will be taken into consideration if/when this case comes to court. Perhaps Christy will be put to oath to testify as to why she appointed him to the LNG file.

When the desperate become more desperate, and gets harder and harder to defend the indefensible, they just make stuff up. No, I never once said that Wilson has a pristine reputation and that's not the issue anyway. You should go back and read erinmore's posts because he hit the nail on the head. You're waaaaay off base. Horgan and company blew it. They screwed up big time and they look like idiots. Ultimately it's their reputation that will end up taking a beating. And they're doing it to themselves.

[Urbane]

Urbane - could you please quit reposting Smyth and Oberfeld's opinions time after time? We have read them and they are not considered of value any more, regardless of how many more times you repost them, OK?

I don't recall posting anything on this subject by Harvey Oberfeld until a few minutes ago. You must be thinking of someone else. Mike Smyth's column brought this subject to public attention and so a number of posters have quoted him. Just because YOU don't like what those two have to say on this subject doesn't mean that other people aren't interested. I notice that you're not challenging what they have to say; only challenging my right to post what they're saying.

[flamingfingers]

Urbane wrote:

Horgan and company blew it. They screwed up big time and they look like idiots. Ultimately it's their reputation that will end up taking a beating. And they're doing it to themselves.

Don't be silly, Urbane, GFD Wilson's 'headlines' and his 15 minutes of fame will be gone by Monday. Except for the tempest in a teapot that is fomenting here.

[Urbane]

Urbane wrote:



Horgan and company blew it. They screwed up big time and they look like idiots. Ultimately it's their reputation that will end up taking a beating. And they're doing it to themselves.



Don't be silly, Urbane, GFD Wilson's 'headlines' and his 15 minutes of fame will be gone by Monday. Except for the tempest in a teapot that is fomenting here.

The judge will decide that and if it doesn't get that far rest assured that Wilson will have already received a tidy amount of money. Rather than defending Horgan and company you should be acknowledging their egregious lack of judgement. Your comment that Horgan and Ralston shouldn't have been the ones announcing the firing lets them off the hook for the lies that were uttered. Hyper-partisanship gets in the way of sound judgement and we need to wary of that. Wrong is wrong. No matter which side it's coming from.

[HorganIsMyHero]

@HorganisMyHero:
What 'character'?

Are you trying to say Wilson deserved to have his reputation tarnished? No one, outside of possibly some dangerously crazy people, deserves to have his or her reputation publicly damaged, hence why defamation is a crime. I think you guys are vastly downplaying how damaging some negative comments can be especially when they come from the premier of a province.

[flamingfingers]

IMYH wrote:

Are you trying to say Wilson deserved to have his reputation tarnished?

Kindly clarify what reputation GFD Wilson had prior to his patronage LNG appointment, thanks.