Latest chapter in former Stouffville mayor´s legal saga ends in split decision
(The Star Business)

The latest chapter in the ongoing legal saga between the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and Justin Altmann left no clear winner.While Justice Shaun Nakatsuru wrote that Altmann was in contempt of court for content from his talks at four town halls prior to the 2018 election, the judge said contextual factors led him to not make a finding of civil contempt.“While the town has proven beyond a reasonable doubt Altmann is in contempt, Altmann has persuaded me that it is just that a finding not be made,� Nakatsuru said. The exact information that Altmann said at the town halls that was in contravention of the court order can’t be revealed because it is under publication ban.Nakatsuru wrote that while Altmann did not name names at the town halls, he disclosed personal information of current and former employees.“More specifically, Mr. Altmann disclosed information about personal information about two individuals and information about their alleged activities and the town’s investigation into them,� Nakatsuru wrote. “This was information that the town for good reasons wished to treat confidential. Something Altmann was fully aware of. The potential disclosure of this confidential information was the reason the town sued Altmann.�Read more:Stouffville Mayor Justin Altmann and others must return confidential docs, judge rulesStouffville Mayor Justin Altmann’s Facebook video broke campaign bylaws, town says — but he won’t take it downWhitchurch-Stouffville deserves a far better mayor than Justin AltmannThe judge said any member of the public could readily fathom who Altmann was speaking about at the town halls.With that said Nakatsuru exercised his discretion not to make a finding of contempt for a variety of reasons, including the fact Altmann was engaged in an election exercising his freedom of expression and that he was acting on legal advice that was not correct.Associate dean of Osgoode Hall Law School ...