WORLD PREMIERE By Trina Davies

silence
Begins
January 16

An untold grandtheatre.com
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story Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell

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P OST M E D I A

thursday, january 4, 2018 SECTION B

REFUSE REFUSAL ROILS RECYCLERS

Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press

Andrew Robertson, a team leader at Miller Waste Systems, stands among baled recyclables at the company’s London plant. There’s uncertainty where this stuff will go in the future because China,
the largest importer of North America’s recyclables, has clamped down on what it takes, warning it won’t be the world’s garbage dump any longer. For details, see Page A3.

3 years and $400K later, Utilities scramble to collect

cold cash amid deep freeze
fraudster cop quits Jennifer Bieman
The London Free Press

Unpaid bills mounting.

TREVOR TERFLOTH
Postmedia News
and DALE CARRUTHERS
The London Free Press
CHATHAM — A senior
Chatham-Kent police officer has
quit the force after costing taxpay-
ers nearly $400,000 for the more
than three years he was suspended
with pay from the job.
The departure of Sgt. Robert
Mugridge, announced Wednesday,
comes days before the 29-year vet-
eran of the force is to be sentenced
in court for fraud. His case is cer-
tain to renew calls for Ontario
to end its distinction as the only
province where officers facing
utor, has been busy fielding a flurry
of calls from customers struggling
to pay up, too.
In sharp contrast to a year ago,
serious charges cannot be sus- “This is something that, in A new law preventing delin- when the region emerged from the
pended without pay. fact, police associations have quent customers from being cut warmest December on record in
It also comes ahead of a discipli- used to help their members for off until the ground thaws. Ontario, the brutal reality of sub-
nary hearing at which Mugridge many, many years,” Sewell said A weeks-long deep freeze that’s zero cold is hitting the pocketbook
faced almost Wednesday. plunged Southwestern Ontario earlier for many who can’t afford
certain termi- Under legislation proposed by into dangerously cold lows. the deep freeze.
nation from Ontario’s Liberal government, A perfect storm is bearing down And cold temperatures
the Chatham- police chiefs would be able to on regional power and heating are expected to last into the
Kent force. withhold wages from officers sus- utilities, scrambling to collect weekend.
“It happens pended for serious allegations, a overdue accounts from winter- “It puts a lot of stress on us,”
all the time, all power their counterparts in other battered ratepayers as the region Nancy Hutton, a spokesper-
the time,” said provinces have long wielded. braces for more snow and numb- son for  London Hydro, said
John Sewell, a Pressure to change the law came ing cold. Wednesday.
Mugridge
former Toronto after a number of high-profile The number of London Hydro “Bad debts affect all customers
mayor and out- cases, including that of a Waterloo accounts in arrears has skyrock- eventually, and we have to make
spoken policing critic, of officers Regional police constable who eted to nearly 4,400 from about sure those arrears are eventually
facing serious allegations being sent an email thanking his force 2,000 as of Nov. 20. collected so that we can keep rates
kept on the payroll for years, only “for a dream come true.” Chatham-based Union Gas, the down for all Londoners.”
to quit before they’re disciplined. See fraud | A5 region’s major natural gas distrib- See utilities | A5

INSIDE we asked you... lfpress.com

Ex-Knight Victor Mete President Donald Trump Stratford’s favour- Have you ever driven a yes 57%
snowmobile?
thought to be among launches blistering attack ite son Justin no 43%
Total votes cast: 2,052
world juniors being on Steve Bannon during Bieber will share
scouted for a spot on spectacular falling out memorabilia in Today’s question:
Do you think London should $ 1.43
Canada’s Olympic team. over new book. hometown exhibit. ban plastic bags? (plus gst)

sports nP today Yes / No

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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community

Ontario politics
Patrick Brown, who many believed was on his way to becoming the next Ontario premier, was forced to step aside
Tory Brownout
Thursday as leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Three pages of coverage inside
What happened to Tory
leader is wrong on many
fronts: Blatchford. Page NP1
The contenders: Names being raised as a possible successor
Caroline Mulroney: PC
candidate for York-Simcoe
Local reflections on a scandal: more on Page A5
The Ontario PC Party
unequivocally upholds the
principle that a safe and
respectful society is what we
expect and deserve. We need
to move forward to eradicate
sexual violence and
harassment across the
province.”
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey
“GORGEOUS”
london free press
½
The anatomy of a leader’s
fall. How Brown’s fate was
sealed in one night. Page NP2 scramble mode. Page NP3
Christine Elliott: Ontario's
patient ombudsman, a former MPP
Sexual violence and
harassment cannot be
tolerated. While due process
must be followed with respect
to the allegations against Mr.
Brown, I support our caucus’s
decisive decision that he
could not lead us into the next
election.”
Perth-Wellington MPP Randy
Pettapiece
friday, january 26, 2018
Ernest Doroszuk/Postmedia News
Contenders, but not that
much time. A party in full
Vic Fedeli: MPP for Nipissing and
the party's finance critic
Last night our caucus
unanimously agreed . . .
Patrick Brown could no
longer lead our party into the
election. I am pleased that
Patrick Brown has done the
right thing and resigned.”
Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman
W O R L D
silence
Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell
By Trina Davies, Directed by Peter Hinton
Featuring Tara Rosling and Graham Cuthbertson
Now playing thru February 3
grandtheatre.com
London building
booms to second
straight $1B year
Norman De Bono
The London Free Press
London’s building boom just
won’t quit. Construction in the
city topped $1 billion for the sec-
ond consecutive year.
The value of building permits
issued in 2017 was $1.1  billion,
down from a record $1.4 billion
in 2016.
“This is only the second time we
have topped $1 billion. Last year
was an all-time record and this
is the second highest,” said Peter
Kokkoros, a city building official.
“It is very positive for the econo-
my, that is for sure. It is a thriving
industry.”
The city issued 5,014 building
permits in 2017, up from 4,712 in
2016, and topping the 5,000 mark
for the first time since 2008, he
said.
There was more building in
2017, but fewer big-ticket projects,
such as institutional construction
and apartment projects, that push
up the total value.
“In terms of houses built, it
was a staggering year,” said ­Peder
Madsen, president of the London
Home Builders’ Association. “It is
good for London, not just build-
ers. There were a ton of jobs cre-
ated.”
In 2017, the total value of
residential construction was
$822.3 million, including 3,292
permits for single detached
homes and 665 permits for apart-
ment buildings, fewer than half
the apartment number from
the year prior. In 2016, the val-
ue of residential permits was
$872.3 million, including 2,859
single detached permits and 1,663
apartment permits.
Madsen credits a strong Lon-
don economy and spillover from
a hot real estate market in the
­Toronto area.
“The economy is doing great.
People are working and spend-
IN Saturday’S fREE pRESS
London’s downtown
highrise building
boom at risk of
going bust because
of change forcing
developers to pay
big bucks before
projects start.
we asked you...
Do you check your daily
horoscope?
Total votes cast: 2,241
Today’s question:
Have you ever witnessed a crime?
INSIDE
Maze Runner: The Death
Cure a corny and cliche-
ridden flick.
today
P R E M I E R E
519.672.8800
P OST M E D I A
SECTION B
ing,” he said.
He also has seen the home reno-
vation market spike.
In commercial construction,
435 permits were issued last year
with a total value of $154 million,
compared to 533 permits in 2016
valued at $186 million.
In institutional building,
173  permits were issued with
a ­total value of $108.4  million
in 2017 compared to 203  per-
mits in 2016 with a total value of
­$289.8 million.
In the industrial sector last year,
95 permits were issued with a to-
tal value of $33.2 million, a drop
from 80 permits in 2016 with a
total value of $53.7 million.
Kokkoros believes 2018 will
be another banner year, with
­apartments making a rebound.
Permits are expected to be issued
for several high-profile projects.
“We have in the hopper
­significant units for 2018,” he
said.
A proposed development
at 100  Fullarton St. may see
700 units built, one at 40 York St.
is for 211 units, and in north Lon-
don, 1635 Richmond St. could see
two, six-storey buildings.
Permits, and their value, are
counted when permits are is-
sued, not when developers apply
for them, he said.
There also is an 11-storey build-
ing, with 137  units, to go up at
34 Pomeroy Lane and a 175-unit
tower rising at 515 Richmond St.
ndebono@postmedia.com
twitter.com/NormatLFPress
The numbers for 2017
$1.1B: Total value of building
permits issued in London
$822.3M: Value of residential
permits
5,014: Total building permits
3,292: Single detached home
permits
lfpress.com
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St. Thomas teacher in the
Olympic mix as coach for
an American curling team.
sports
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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community

P OST M E D I A

We’ve got the music in us

Tuesday, January 30, 2018 SECTION B

Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press

Ivory Hours’ front man Luke Rose performs with the band at the London Music Hall during a news conference Monday to announce that London will host the 2019 Juno Awards.

Thrills, surprise as London lands 2019 Junos, Canada’s biggest music bash
Jennifer Bieman
The London Free Press
Monumental event, massive
excitement.
After years of aspirations, plans,
grit and gumption, the Juno Awards
— the single-biggest celebration in
Canadian music — are coming to
London in 2019.
Already, the anticipation is
palpable.
“An event like this is just incred-
ible,” Chris Campbell, director of
culture and entertainment tourism
at Tourism London, said Monday.
“It’s going to have a huge indi-
rect and direct impact on culture
in our city.”
The best acts in Canadian music
will step out in the Forest City not
only for the nationally televised
March 17, 2019, award show itself,
but also for the week-long festivi-
ties that start March 11.
“This is the single-largest enter-
tainment event that our commu-
nity will ever have the opportunity
to host. It’s history in the making,”
Mayor Matt Brown said.
“We talk about the Junos, we talk
about Juno week, but for London,
this is going to be Juno year.”
Brown and Tourism London
officials made the big announce-
ment at a surprise news conference
Monday at the London Music Hall,
the culmination of a years-long
pursuit of the coveted national
awards show.
The news brought rousing
applause and a standing ovation
from the crowd, started by Tourism
London general manager John
Winston in the front row.
All told, the Juno Awards fes-
tivities could bring in at least
$10 million in economic spinoffs
to the city, Winston said. But the
potential monetary boon for the
city isn’t the only thing he’s excited
about.
“The relationship-building and
the contacts that we’ll create in
this sector will just be incalcula-
ble,” he said.
See junos | A6
Junos put city on national stage
norman
de bono
news analysis
Hosting Canada’s national music
awards will give London a massive
cultural profile that “stamps” the
city as a centre for arts and enter-
tainment, industry observers said
Monday.
The fallout from bringing
the Juno awards here in March
2019 starts with an estimated
$10-­million spinoff for hotels, res-
taurants and shopping but will,
over the long term, push the city
onto a national stage.
“When you think about the im-
pact, it means digital companies
may see us as more attractive, the
younger creative class may be re-
tained. This is the largest cultur-
al event in Canada and stamps us
with a brand you do not see in sec-
ondary markets,” said Chris Camp-
bell, Tourism London’s director of
culture and entertainment tour-
ism. “We are punching above our
weight.”
This year the event is being held
in Vancouver. Ottawa hosted the
Junos last year, and it was Calgary’s
turn in 2015.
See reaction | A6

As PCs face leadership backlash, Ford jumps in we asked you...

Kevin Connor
Postmedia News
TORONTO — Ontario’s
Progressive Conservative party
brass has faced growing backlash
for proposing to appoint, not vote
in a new leader to replace Patrick
Brown.
Brown resigned in the wake of
explosive sexual misconduct alle-
gations that left the party reeling
and struggling to fill that void.
However, a planned vote by
the PC executive on Wednesday
lfpress.com
ship vote and will be “the Conservatives don’t only party to put Ontario back on
instead appoint even trust their own members the right path.” Will you travel south during
interim leader enough to vote for their leaders, Ford said he was throwing his hat the winter?
Vic Fedeli to so why should you?” in the ring to save the party from YES 29%
lead the Tories Meanwhile, Doug Ford, a former what he called political “elites.”
NO 71%
during the cam- Toronto councillor who had been “The elites of this party, the ones
paign report- running in Toronto’s mayoral race, who shut out the grassroots, do not Total votes cast: 1,692
edly has candi- announced Monday he’s seeking want me in this race,” he said.
dates, staff and Ford the leadership of Ontario’s PC “I’m here to give a voice . . . to Today’s question:
riding associa- party. the hard-working taxpayers of Are you excited to see the Junos
tion presidents and members con- “I am deeply troubled by what I this province, people who have come to London?
sidering quitting. have recently seen unfold in the PC been ignored for far too long. This
“It’s complete hypocrisy,” a sen- party,” Ford said from his mother’s is truly a critical moment for our
ior Conservative party source told Etobicoke home where he made party, for our people and for the $ 1.43
Postmedia, and a senior Liberal his announcement. future of our province.” (plus gst)

to overturn a general leader- source suggested their messaging “I love the PC party and it is the See tories | A5

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P OST M E D I A

weDNESday, FEBRUARY 21, 2018 SECTION B

It didn’t feel like we were alone on the ice.

We received so much support ( from home).” — Gold medallist Tessa Virtue

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Ice dance champions Tessa Virtue, of London, and Scott Moir, of Ilderton, celebrate after receiving their gold medals during a ceremony at Medal Plaza Tuesday on Day 11 of the 2018 Olympic Winter
Games in in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Tuesday. For more on Virtue and Moir’s big win, see Pages D1 and 2; for more Olympics coverage, see Pages D1-4.

Rising temps, falling rain Why no CPR for doomed London

send flood risks soaring
Dale Carruthers
and Hank Daniszewski
The London Free Press
Soaring temperatures, heavy rain
and melting snow are creating the
perfect storm of flooding risks in
Southwestern Ontario, with Port
Bruce on Lake Erie already feel-
ing the effects and Chatham-Kent
bracing for its worst fallout in a
decade.
Tuesday, with at least six streets
in Port Bruce already under water,
and homes partly submerged, offi-
cials had set up a command centre
in case an evacuation was needed
— it wasn’t — and warned affected
residents to stay away from their
homes because of hidden dangers
lurking beneath the water.
“The water is starting to bubble
up from the ground, which would
indicate that a lot of water is com-
ing,” OPP Sgt. Dave Rektor said.
“It’s quite possible that an evacu-
ation order might be in place.”
Only a relatively small amount of
flooding can create havoc, he noted.
“We never encourage people to
drive on a flooded roadway,” he
said, adding that water only 30 cen-
timetres deep is enough to move a
car. “You want to be careful.”
The mayor of Malahide Township,
which includes Port Bruce, said he
hoped the worst was over in the com-
munity southeast of St. Thomas.
“I think we are over the crest. The
water is flowing through the har-
bour . . . it seems to be receding,”
said Dave Mennill, who toured Port
Bruce earlier in the day.
See FLOOD RISK | A6
DEREK RUTTAN/THE LONDON FREE PRESS
Port Bruce’s Imperial Road was
awash as the region battled mild
conditions, rain and run-off Tuesday.
heart centre, MPP asks minister
Jonathan Sher
The London Free Press
Ontario’s health minister came
under fire Tuesday for doing noth-
ing to stop plans to pull the plug on
long-term cardiac rehabilitation
services in London.
With former health minister Deb
Matthews not seeking re-election
in her London North Centre riding,
but backing a hospital plan to close
the cardiac fitness institute, and
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff
Yurek now demanding the insti-
tute be revived, the centre’s fate is
likely to become a London issue in
the June provincial election.
“Once again, we are seeing the
results of years of Liberal cuts
and underfunding to our health-
care system,” said Yurek, the
health critic for the opposition
Progressive Conservatives.
Yurek said it’s “astonishing” the
Liberal government would allow
the London Health Sciences Centre
(LHSC) program to close, given its
low cost and how many patients it
helps each year.
But questioned in the legislature
Tuesday, Eric Hoskins dodged crit-
ical issues and made claims certain
to rile the nearly 2,000 London
patients who have relied on the
Cardiac Fitness Institute.
“I know, as a fellow health-care
professional, (we) need to allow our
front-line health-care providers,
our physicians, the entire comple-
ment, to make the best decisions
based on evidence and quality of
care,” Hoskins said during ques-
tion period at Queen’s Park.
His claim seems odd since the
doctor who has headed the fit-
ness institute since 1981, Larry
Patrick, has led the fight against
its closing.
See CARDIAC | A6

INSIDE we asked you... lfpress.com

Celtic roots quintet Dingman Dark beer Herald Would Patrick Brown make a YES 69%
Runa returning to Haus brewery tribute to good premier? NO 31%
Total votes cast: 2,840
London for Aeolian Stratford newspaper mogul
Hall concert Thursday. and Black Donnelly’s brewery Today’s question:
TODAY heading to Russeldale.
Who will win the women’s hockey $ 1.43
Olympic gold medal? (plus gst)
TODAY Canada / U.S.

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37
under a spell
Eight-year-olds Danielle Arku, left, Zaeem Hossain and Adam Al-Dhaher compete in the 14th Annual London Regional Spelling Bee Sunday at Central high school in London. Arku, a University Heights
elementary school pupil, finished fifth in the primary division for six to eight year olds, Hossain of Eagle Heights school finished second and Al-Dhaher of Al-Taqwa Academy won with the word
“investigate,” taking home $200, a large trophy and the right to represent London at the Spelling Bee of Canada national invitational championships in Toronto on May 6.
Hotels raise red flags over strip
bar’s plans to head south
Owner of Golddiggers has applied to shift bar off
Dundas and move near OPP on Exeter Road
Norman De Bono
The London Free Press
A Dundas Street strip bar that
has generated controversy because
it’s next to a childcare centre may
move to Exeter Road across the
street from the OPP, but hotels in
the area say it should stay put.
George Nikopoulos owns Gold-
diggers at 2010 Dundas St. He has
applied to the city to move the club,
formerly called the Royal Lancas-
ter, to 802 Exeter Rd.
He said developers have ap-
proached him with offers to rede-
velop the Dundas site.
“This would be a win for the
city. Finally, after decades, that li-
cence could be moved from Dun-
das Street,” Nikopoulos said. “(The
INSIDE
The Juno Awards make a
splash in Vancouver with an
eclectic lineup of rising stars
and established favourites
paying tribute to Canada’s
music scene. today
5 Piece Card
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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community
TH SP R I NG A R T
C RA F T S H O W
THURSDAY, MAR 29TH 5-9PM • GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 10-5PM
Exeter Road) area is growing. It is
expanding. I hope the city plays
ball.”
The commercial plaza at 802 Ex-
eter Rd. is across the street from
the OPP’s London detachment.
“It is perfect for the police to
keep an eye on us,” Nikopoulos
said. “The more police presence,
the better. It may keep some peo-
ple away.”
But hotels on Exeter Road, just
east of Wellington Road, oppose
Golddiggers’ plan to move.
“I would prefer it stay where it is.
It creates a stigma when it is around
hotels,” said David Abraham, gen-
eral manager of the Hampton Inn.
“I have been general manager at a
property close to an establishment
like that before. It is not good for
Postmedia reporters
share their findings after
months of tracking more
than six million political
donations at the federal
and provincial levels. NP
Win a $250
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AND
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business.”
Coun. Jared Zaifman represents
the Exeter Road area on city coun-
cil.
He said he’s trying to get feed-
back from residents and business-
es on the possible move of Gold-
diggers and isn’t surprised hotels
are opposed.
“There are concerns about hav-
ing a strip club near hotels,” he
said. “It is very early in the proc-
ess. There are concerns around sex
trafficking in hotels in the area. I
see both sides of it.”
A body rub parlour called Ambi-
ence operates in the Exeter Road
plaza where Golddiggers wants to
locate.
Orest Katolyk, the city’s chief
municipal law enforcement officer,
said strip club owners are permit-
ted to apply to move a licence.
See golddiggers | A6
More than a dozen Canadian
cities host marches to call for
stricter gun control laws in
both Canada and the United
States, adding their voices to a
global movement. NP
499
$ Thursday-Friday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Young Knights squad needs
playoff toughness in Game 3
Ryan
Pyette
The Knights were fired up before
the OHL post-season for two ma-
jor reasons.
First, they thought their re-
vamped squad could actually sur-
prise some people and do some
damage, kind of the way the Wind-
sor Spitfires have so far.
And second, they knew their
young core — the one expected to
lead the club back to Memorial Cup
contention — would be able to soak
up all the emotional highs and lows
of a playoff run and become better
for the experience.
So far, we can say one thing for
sure.
These Knights are learning
how to take some well-placed gut
we asked you...
Would you like to see the Senate kill
the government’s pot legalization
bill?
YES 57%
NO 43%
Total votes cast: 1,521
from
$
799
P OST M E D I A
SECTION B
Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press
punches.
It was tough enough to lose a
hard-fought Game 1 on a winning
tally that was banked in off goal-
tender Joseph Raaymakers.
But Game 2 was basically a Shake-
spearean tragedy on ice, Hamlet
holding a hockey puck instead of
Yorick’s skull.
How else do you describe a team
that locks down a high-powered of-
fence for more than half the game,
then surrenders a final-minute goal
with the goaltender pulled and the
overtime marker shortly after tak-
ing a too-many-men penalty?
See playoffs | A6
Ohl playoffs
Owen Sound leads best-of-seven
Western quarterfinal 2-0
Game 3: Monday, 7 p.m. at
Budweiser Gardens.
Game 4: Thursday, 7 p.m. at the
Bud.
lfpress.com
Today’s question: Will you do any
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F r e e P r e s s e x c lu s i v e
Brown bows out
After weeks of speculation, Matt Brown tells The Free Press in an exclusive interview he won’t seek a second term
as London mayor this fall. Brown sat down with city hall reporter Megan Stacey to discuss why he’s exiting
the race and what’s next as he prepares to leave politics.
Q: You’ve always said you
planned to run for re-election,
so what’s changed?
A: It just feels like it’s time for me
. . . As I reflect on what we’ve been
able to accomplish as a council
and as I look forward, this feels
like the right time.
Q: People will say you’re just
scared to lose.
A: That’s never a reason to run.
That should never be part of the
decision-making process.
Q: So if you’re not afraid to go
up against your challengers,
why bow out now?
A: This should never be a career.
I’ve had the opportunity to serve
the London community for the
better part of a decade. It’s a
­privilege and it also requires a
Read a longer version of the interview and look for the latest updates at lfpress.com
London principal faces sex charges
Randy Richmond
The London Free Press
A London principal and commu-
nity leader, already battling alle-
gations of sexual harassment, has
been criminally charged over alle-
gations he kissed a young woman
18 years ago, his lawyer said.
Michael Deeb was charged
Thursday with one count of sexual
exploitation and one count of sexu-
al assault, his lawyer, Faisal Joseph,
told The London Free Press.
“We haven’t been given any of the
details other than we were told for
the first time Thursday that the in-
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Mike Hensen/The London Free Press
great deal of sacrifice. Q: Does that mean you’re done this term will become part of my Q: It hasn’t all been bad. What
with politics? record. I accept that. are you most proud of ?
Q: It’s not an easy job. You A: For now. I think the cliche A: Our council worked together
talked about sacrifice — is that is, ‘You never say never,’ but Q: We all know that one of to develop a strategic plan that
playing into this (decision)? I’m looking forward to the next the cornerstones of your is one of the most sophisticated
A: It’s really about this being the ­chapter of my life, and I don’t ­campaign (in 2014) was this strategic plans that any commu-
right time for me. I could feel it expect that to include politics in idea of bringing trust, and nity across the province has seen.
in my gut when I ran for ward the short term. bringing integrity, back to the It’s linked to the first or one of
­councillor. I could feel it in my mayor’s office. How do you the first multi-year budgets to
gut when I ran for mayor in 2014 Q: Will you go back to respond to those who say you ensure we were able to identify
. . . and I can feel today that I’m teaching? haven’t done that? the priorities we wanted to move
comfortable with my decision A: Certainly, that’s a possibility. A: I look at the record that coun- forward with, and make sure we’d
that it’s time. cil and I have been able to deliver have the money to pay for them.
Q: You weathered a very per- on, I look at the work that we’ve
Q: At what point did you sonal scandal — (an affair with done in many areas of com- Q: Let’s talk about rapid
decide not to go for two Coun. Maureen Cassidy, then munity building and I’m really ­transit. You promised rapid
terms? the deputy mayor) — ­during proud of that. transit and you delivered on
A: I think you’re always think- your time in office. Are you that. Now you’re leaving, and
ing about it. I spent a good deal of concerned that your term will Q: You’re not concerned the it seems like the plan is in
time over the holidays thinking be marked by that? affair will mar that record? peril. Are you worried about
about it . . . I’ve just been working A: I think that everything I’ve A: At the end of the day, the future of bus rapid transit
my way toward this decision. been able to accomplish, every- Londoners will make up their (BRT)?
thing I’ve done over the course of own minds, and I accept that. See mayor | A8
special section
Health, finance, food,
we asked you...
lfpress.com
cident involves The Ontario Provincial police parenting, fashion, beauty Have you ever received a speeding
a complaint of did not seek his client’s side of the
a lady from 18 story before deciding to have the & more. inside ticket?
years ago. It in- charges laid, Joseph said. YES 69%
volves kissing,” “That’s unheard of,” he said. NO 31%
Joseph said. The Free Press was seeking OPP
The age of the comment, but had not immediate- Total votes cast: 1,344
complainant is ly heard back from the force. Today’s question:
unknown, but Deeb Fellow London lawyer Gord Cud- Are you looking forward to
police suggested more has been brought on board as downtown’s Dundas Place?
she was between 16 and 17 at the co-counsel while Joseph deals with
Yes / No / What’s Dundas Place?
time, he said. health issues, Joseph said.
“My client is getting railroad- Deeb’s problems began last De-
ed by the #MeToo controversy cember, when Najwa Zebian, a
express,” Joseph said. “My client London teacher, claimed Deeb had $ 1.43
denies the charges completely and harassed her. (plus gst)
absolutely.” See charges | A8
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 All female Ocean’s 8 amusing enough but stellar cast’s
crime spree fails to include scene stealing. TODAY

P OST M E D I A

FRIday, JUNE 8, 2018 SECTION B

ontario election Port Elgin

74 40 7 1 Kincardine

HURON-BRUCE

Goderich
Wingham PERTH-
WELLINGTON
Blyth Listowel

Orange island in a
*As of 10:45 p.m.

Clinton
Bayfield
Mitchell

BLUE WAVE
Hensall
Exeter Stratford
Grand Bend
St. Marys

Parkhill OXFORD
Forest Woodstock
Ingersoll
LAMBTON-
Sarnia Wyoming Strathroy
S A R N I A -Petrolia K E N T-
LAMBTON MIDDLESEX Tillsonburg
London swam against the rest of the region — yet E L G I N - St. Thomas
M I D D L E S E X- LO N D O N
again — and much of the province, sending three
Wallaceburg
NDP members to Queen’s Park for the first time, as
premier designate Doug Ford and the Progressive -
E NT
K
Chatham
M- TON
LAKE ERIE
Conservatives, including in Elgin-Middlesex- H A G
Windsor
H A T M I N Blenheim
London, all but swept Kathleen Wynne
Wonderland Rd.

Tilbury C LEA LONDON NORTH

CENTRE
and the Liberal party off the political map
Highbury Ave.
Adelaide St.

Wheatley LONDON
in Ontario. WEST
Oxford St.
Rd.

LONDON-
ncliffe

South
dale R
d.
Comm
issione FANSHAWE
Whar

rs Rd.
Exeter
Liberal Rd .
Bradle
y Ave.

PC 402
402

NDP ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-
LONDON
London North London West London- Elgin-Middlesex- Oxford
Centre NDP Fanshawe London PC
NDP Peggy Sattler NDP PC Ernie Hardeman
Terence Kernaghan Teresa Armstrong Jeff Yurek

INSIDE we asked you...

Season in jeopardy after lfpress.com
pole vaulter Alysha Are you worried about the gun
Newman of London suffers violence in London?
knee injury. sports YES 59%
NO 41%
Total votes cast: 1,587

Perth-Wellington Huron-Bruce Lambton-Kent- Sarnia-Lambton Chatham-Kent- Today’s

question:
PC PC Middlesex PC Leamington Did you vote
Randy Pettapiece Lisa Thompson PC Bob Bailey PC in the Ontario
Monte McNaughton Rick Nicholls election?

Inside: Four pages of coverage, including riding-by-riding London region results

@lfpress.com: Riding-by-riding results across the province $ 1.43
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Video: Five things premier designate Doug Ford needs to get to first

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P OST M E D I A

THURSday, JUNE 21, 2018 SECTION B

Chatham’s a LITTLE THANKS FOR A LOT OF HELP

Crown
$6M man grills
targets lotto smirking
regulator Panovski
Jennifer Bieman JANE SIMS
The London Free Press The LONDON FREE PRESS

Chatham’s $6-million lottery GODERICH — If it was the sec-

winner, locked in a legal fight with
his ex-girlfriend over the winnings,
is waging another court battle with
the provincial agency that probes
prize disputes and regulates the
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
(OLG).
Maurice Thi-
beault is seek-
ing $825,000 in
damages from
the Alcohol and
Gaming Com-
mission of On-
tario after OLG
Thibeault withheld half of
the $6.1-million
Lotto 6/49 winnings amid Thi-
beault’s dispute with his former
live-in girlfriend.
In the third-party claim, filed in
Windsor court May 22, Thibeault is
seeking $250,000 in damages from
the commission for “negligent in-
vestigation, tortious interference
in contractual relations, breach of
fiduciary duty and breach of statu-
tory duty.”
He’s also seeking another
$500,000 for punitive damages,
$75,000 for special damages, the
costs of his legal action against his
ex-girlfriend and legal fees for the
action against the commission.
“Maurice is suing . . . for, in effect,
negligent investigation,” said Thi-
beault’s lawyer, Richard Pollock.
“(He’s saying to the commission)
had you done the investigation as
the statute and regulations pro-
vide, I would have never been in
this mess.”
In the claim, which contains
statements not yet proven in court,
Thibeault alleges the commission
failed to conduct a thorough inves-
tigation and did not collect or ana-
lyze potential evidence.
The commission did not respond to
requests for comment Wednesday.
Pollock said he had not received
a statement of defence from the
AGCO.
The dispute arose when Thi-
beault’s ex-girlfriend, Denise Rob-
ertson, claimed they frequently
bought lottery tickets as a cou-
ple and agreed to share any win-
nings long before he bought the
Lotto 6/49 ticket that won half of
a $12-million jackpot on Sept. 20,
2017.
See LOTTERY | A7
ond Saturday in September, you
could expect the annual field dog
trials would be on at the Hullett
conservation area.
Yet Boris Panovski, the dog
trainer who was so entrenched
in the sporting dog world before
2005 that his
Scarborough
apartment
still was filled
with kitsch and
awards from his
canine exploits,
claimed it “never
crossed his
mind” the trials Panovski
were on when
he drove close to the area the day
Toronto-area businessperson Don
Frigo, 70, and his wife, Eva Willer
Frigo were shot.
“I didn’t know there was any field
trials at Hullett,” he said with a big
smile and his arms crossed as he
sat in the witness box at his first-
degree murder trial.
Panovski, 74, has pleaded not
guilty in Frigo’s death and the
attempted murder of his wife.
The couple were shot while riding
horses and running their dogs after
a field dog training exercise at the
conservation area.
It was another big day for the
smirking Panovski, who is under
cross-examination by Crown attor-
ney Mike Murdoch. At times dur-
ing questioning, Panovski would
gaze around the room or over at his
lawyer. More than once, Murdoch
told Panovski to focus on the ques-
tion. And several times, he asked
him what was so funny.
Panovski is testifying in English
even though the rest of the trial
DEREK RUTTAN/THE LONDON FREE PRESS
was translated into Macedonian.
He often gives long answers to
No big fanfare, no huge fuss, just a kiss for 13-year-old Ashton Lefteris — short questions, and seems hard-
wincing with embarrassment — from his appreciative mom, Jen Lefteris, for pressed to offer a straightforward
response
launching a fundraising campaign inspired by her battle with breast cancer. The end of Wednesday’s proceed-
ings took aim at Panovski’s elabo-
The teen, who started with one collection jar at his after-school restaurant rate explanation of his movements
job, has raised thousands to help local cancer patients, and he’s not done yet. on Sept. 13, 2014.
If Panovski is to be believed, the
In a medical city like London, where big-name donors cutting large cheques jury must be convinced he spent the
day scouting goose-hunting sites,
tend to make headlines, it turns out hospitals rely more than you might think taking him 200  kilometres west
on people like Ashton. Page A2 of Toronto, and oh-so-close to the
Hullett area, before zigzagging back
to the city.
See a video about Ashton Lefteris’s fundraising efforts at lfpress.com See PANOVSKI | A7

INSIDE we asked you... lfpress.com

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globe-trotting London sax legalizing recreational YES 63%
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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community
Different leader for tumultuous times
Video at lfpress.com Lori Hamer lands top job as London Fire Department seeks stability after firestorm of harassment claims
Megan Stacey
The London Free Press
The first woman fire chief in Lon-
don’s history, who cut her teeth in
a different end of the profession,
says she can lead differently.
Newly minted chief Lori Hamer
is taking over the top job at a tu-
multuous time, as the London fire
department looks to stabilize after
harassment allegations and claims
of a “toxic” workplace prompted
city hall to launch an investigation
and culture review in March.
“I’m humbled and honoured, ob-
viously, to be working alongside all
the men and women at the Lon-
don fire department,” Hamer told
The Free Press on Monday, after a
weekend where crews battled two
Holder could reshape mayor’s race, pundits say
Norman De Bono
The London Free Press
Former MP Ed Holder’s loom-
ing entry into the London mayor-
al race could drastically alter the
fall civic election, political pun-
dits say.
Holder, 63, began messaging
some Londoners Monday, saying
he will make an announcement
Thursday at Innovation Works.
One of the city’s worst kept secrets
is that the two-term former Con-
servative MP has been beating the
bushes in recent months, meeting
businesspeople to gauge feedback
on a mayoral run.
Solid
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serious blazes.
“They’re an extremely highly
skilled group of people with a lot of
knowledge and a lot of experience
that I want to draw on to help us
build the strong department that
we know we can be,“ she added.
Hamer, who’s been with the Lon-
don Fire Department since 2016,
when she was hired as a depu-
ty chief of communications, has
made it a central goal to meet with
fire crews and hear directly from
employees about concerns since
she took over as acting chief in
March.
Her career in firefighting has
been spent not on the front lines
fighting fires, but in communica-
tions and management.
Hamer was appointed acting
The response
has been over-
whelmingly
supportive, and
he will make it
official Thurs-
day, say politi-
cal insiders.
“He is a seri- Holder
ous contender,”
said Martin Horak, a political sci-
ence professor at Western Univer-
sity and associate director of the
school’s Centre for Urban Policy
and Local Governance. “He has
made significant contributions to
the community. I think a lot of peo-
ple think positively of him.”
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
chief as the fire department be-
came embroiled in workplace
harassment allegations, and after
former chief John Kobarda’s retire-
ment was suddenly announced.
Acting deputy chief Jack Burt
called it “a new frontier,” describ-
ing Hamer as a well-rounded and
open leader.
Union boss Jason Timlick said
Hamer’s style is “refreshing.”
“I’ve seen a change under her
leadership as fire chief,” Timlick,
president of the London Profes-
sional Fire Fighters Association,
said.
“What she’s been able to achieve
over the past couple months as act-
ing fire chief is amazing.”
He pointed to Hamer’s efforts
to meet each one of her employ-
Holder offers change for those
looking for a different municipal
voice, but is familiar as a former
London West MP who served in
Stephen Harper’s government. His
name recognition extends to years
spent actively supporting commu-
nity events, including the Business
Cares Food Drive he co-chaired for
many years.
Like mayoral hopefuls Paul
Paolatto and Paul Cheng, Holder
will be seen as a fiscal conserva-
tive, attractive to those who op-
pose council’s “city building agen-
da” that’s seen it go for ambitious
projects like bus rapid transit.
See mayor | A5
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P OST M E D I A
SECTION B
Mike Hensen/The London Free Press
ees, by “going out and actually lis- only a few female fire chiefs in
tening and speaking and hearing Ontario.
from them.” For Hamer, her experience, in-
“Like every person, she has a dif- cluding two decades in fire com-
ferent leadership style. It’s been munications and management
very refreshing,” Timlick said. roles at the Kitchener and Lon-
As much as she’s already made don fire departments, is much
her mark as the first woman to lead more relevant.
the city’s fire department, Hamer See chief | A5
said she doesn’t want her legacy to
be about gender. About Chief Hamer
The city spent more than three Age: 47
months recruiting for a new fire
Born: Port Elgin
chief. City hall officials said the
process was competitive, though Lives: London
they wouldn’t release the number Family: Married 24 years with two
of applicants or interviews. sons, 18 and 20 years old
It’s hard to deny that Hamer is Career: 22 years in communications
something of a pioneer. and management, 20 with Kitchener
She’s the first woman to lead the fire department
city’s fire department, and one of
INSIDE we asked you...
lfpress.com
Which team will win the World Cup?
England 54%
Belgium 19%
France 15%
Croatia 12%
Total votes cast: 1, 139
Today’s question: Have you ever
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P OST M E D I A

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 SECTION B

HOCKEY NIGHT IN LUCAN: NHL heroes thrill Hockeyville. PAGES A2, D1 CIVIC ELECTION 2018

Drug sites split

mayoral hopefuls
as city ODs spike
NORMAN DE BONO implications of a leader in our com-
THE LONDON FREE PRESS munity not supporting this vital
service,” said Lester.
London saw a massive spike “It saves lives, it connects people
in drug overdoses this summer, to addiction-related treatment and
with its overdose-prevention site support.”
saving the lives of three times as At a mayoral
many people last month as in the debate Monday,
six months previous, says the ex- candidate Ed
ecutive director of the organiza- Holder backed
tion that hosts the site. a permanent
With only two of the four front- core site. Fel-
running London mayoral can- low candidate
didates supporting a perma- Coun. Tanya
nent downtown supervised drug Park, who was
consumption site, the need for in- Lester not at the de-
tervention was driven home when bate, also backs
23 users were “reversed” from drug the site.
overdoses at the temporary site in Mayoral candidate Paul Paolatto
August, said Brian Lester of the opposes a permanent site, prefer-
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. ringa mobile service so as not to
From February to August, by “surrender any neighbourhood.”
comparison, the site — where us-
See DRUG SITES | A4
ers can use drugs under medical su-
pervision — saved eight lives.
The dramatic recent spike — More election coverage,
amid a deadly opioid crisis sweep- Page A4
ing Ontario cities, including Lon-
don — underlines the need for Backgrounders,
politicians to engage on the issue, platforms and more at
he said.
“I would be concerned about the lfpress.com

Nigerian scam suspect

likely to face U.S. justice
JANE SIMS George signed the warrant of com-
THE LONDON FREE PRESS mittal Tuesday that puts Okorhi’s
extradition decision before the
Benard Okorhi still has some federal justice minister.
hope of staying in Canada, but it’s George said there was “ample ev-
slim. idence” to support the Memphis,
Given the Tenn.- based charges going before a
low legal test to jury. And he was convinced that, on
commit some- a balance of probabilities, the man
one for extra- who was sitting in the prisoner’s
dition to face box was the same person American
charges in the authorities were seeking, because
U.S., the Nige- of a photo and his name.
rian man who And that, in a nutshell, is the low
came to Lon- Okorhi test that has to be reached to trig-
don as a refu- ger committal.
gee last fall is more than likely to In his decision, George touched
MIKE HENSEN/THE LONDON FREE PRESS be sent south to face charges con- on outside criticism that the evi-
lfpress.com: Fans go wild as Toronto Maple Leafs star centre John Tavares heads to the ice at the nected to $15-million in alleged cy- dentiary standard is so low it leads
Watch kids greet their Lucan Community Memorial Centre to face the Ottawa Senators in a nationally televised ber crimes. to a high rate of extradition.
NHL heroes in Lucan preseason tilt as part of Kraft Hockeyville 2018 celebrations Tuesday night. Superior Court Justice Jonathon See EXTRADITION | A5

INSIDE WE ASKED YOU... lfpress.com

Cheers, applause and a partial With the clock ticking, Have you started your Christmas YES 21%
Standing O greet Premier most police services shopping? NO 79%
Doug Ford as he escapes across the country Total votes cast: 1,282
the Toronto ‘bubble’ aren’t ordering the only Today’s question:
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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community
 P OST M E D I A

wednesday, october 24, 2018 SECTION B

civic election 2018

Recipe for rancour?

London emerges from its trailblazing ranked-balloting experience with Ed Holder – an old political lion in a new
arena – as mayor, a new, ideologically split council and no clear direction on its pricey, hot-button transit plan

Mayor-elect Ed
Holder holds a news
conference outside
London’s Central
Library Tuesday
Ward 1 after his victory was
Michael van Holst Mike Hensen/The London Free Press announced.

Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 Ward 5 Ward 6 Ward 7 Ward 8 Ward 9

Shawn Lewis Mo Salih Jesse Helmer Maureen Cassidy Phil Squire Josh Morgan Steve Lehman Anna Hopkins

@lfpress.com: Video Q&A with

London’s new mayor, plus how
the election unfolded

Ward 10 Ward 11 Ward 12 Ward 13 Ward 14 Inside: Coverage from London

Paul Van Meerbergen Stephen Turner Elizabeth Peloza Arielle Kayabaga Steve Hillier and region, Pages A2-5

Holder must learn and lead, and fast Election fails to clarify BRT fate
News analysis ences in business and as an MP into a safe, One thing, however, seems set: Anti-BRT
by Megan Stacey steady hand guiding council — could take Londoners — from the organized lobby
The London Free Press some time to answer, Western University’s groups, to individual citizens — who figured
Cameron Anderson said. the 2018 election would be a referendum on
With no municipal government experi- “There’s likely to be a good period of tran-
patrick maloney the project may be walking away disappoint-
ence, helming a fresh but divided city coun- vote watch
sition where Ed Holder himself will have to ed, one expert said.
cil, London mayor-elect Ed Holder has to not only learn the ropes of the mayoralty po- “It was far from a clear referendum on
If you wanted London’s civic election to
deliver on a tall order. sition, but manage this new council and what BRT,” said Martin Horak, former head of
provide a clear path forward on bus rapid
Some observers say he’s got the back- is the character and feel of the new council,” the local government program at Western
transit, forget it.
ground to overcome resistance and hostil- said Anderson, a political s­ cientist. University. “It’s not even clear how many
As if the debate over the $500-million
ity among members of a split council, which “The key for Mr. Holder will be to draw on people voted on the issue.
project wasn’t tortured enough, it looks
will see eight incumbents and six new fac- the powers of compromise and consensus- “Some of council’s top BRT supporters got
like Londoners have elected a city council
es divided over bus rapid transit and their ­building in the sense of trying to craft a plan elected on the first ballot.”
that could split 7-7 on BRT, making it near-
views on local government. forward that enough councillors can sup- To that point, take Jesse Helmer — argu-
ly impossible to predict whether it will be
But the looming question — whether Hold- port to move ahead.” ably, council’s most dedicated BRT backer.
pushed ahead or killed outright during the
er’s the right leader to translate his experi- See mayor | A4 next four years. See BRT | A4

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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community 519.668.1200 | 1.800.265.1208
 Ring in the holidays!
a christmas carol
“ BRILLIANT” london free press
City lands 1,500 jobs
These architects’ renderings show what the $660-million Maple Leaf poultry processing plant will look like. The 60,000-square-metre operation is expected to be up and running in 2021.
Norman De Bono
The London Free Press
A food industry giant is opening
a $660-million plant in London
that will bring nearly 1,500 jobs
to the city.
Maple Leaf Foods will announce
Tuesday it is building a massive
60,000-square-metre poultry
processing plant on 40 hectares
in south London. Construction
is expected to finish in 2020 with
production beginning the follow-
ing year.
“We are absolutely thrilled to at-
tract an investment of this magni-
tude. London is a strong hub now
for food processing, and the ad-
dition of Maple Leaf puts us in a
different category,” said Kapil La-
GM’s Oshawa bombshell felt across region
The Canadian Press
Provincial and federal leaders
alike conceded the futility Monday
of trying to persuade General
Motors to keep its Oshawa auto-
motive plant running beyond 2019,
and instead focused on ways to ease
the pain of more than 2,500 work-
ers who stand to lose their jobs.
The fallout from GM’s announce-
ment Monday rippled through-
out the London region, home to
the Cami plant that produces
the Chevrolet Equinox and parts
plants that supply GM.
Cami was spared in the round
of plant closings announced
Monday, and a spokesperson for
P TO 7
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1983 to 2018 celebrating 35 years of service to the London and area Community
TUESday, NOVEMBER 27, 2018
khotia, chief executive of London
Economic Development Corp.,
which worked with Maple Leaf for
three years to land the plant.
London has more than 60 agri-
food businesses employing about
7,000 workers, Lakhotia said.
Maple Leaf bought the land from
the city and construction will begin
in the spring. The plant will employ
1,450 workers.
The Mississauga-based firm,
which operates in Canada, the U.S.
and Asia, said poultry production
will move to London from three
older plants, in St. Marys, Toronto
and Brampton, which will close.
The St. Marys plant is expected
to shut by late 2021.
Workers from the three plants
will be offered jobs in London, the
Closing coverage
For more on General Motors’
Oshawa announcement, see
Pages A4 and NP1, 3, and 5.
Magna International said the com-
pany is assessing how the changes
will affect plants in London and
St. Thomas that supply GM.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford
insisted Monday there was noth-
ing his government could do to
talk GM into abandoning its plan
to shutter the factory at the end of
next year. Ford and lawmakers in
Ottawa vowed to work together to
help affected workers, their fami-
lies and the city, which will lose its
biggest employer.
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company said.
Officials said Maple Leaf was
drawn to the city by the availability
of land, proximity to poultry farms,
skilled workers and the city’s ac-
cess to highways 401 and 402.
“The London site was perfect,”
Lakhotia said.
The plant will be built at High-
way 401 and Highbury Avenue, on
Wilton Grove Road.
Ontario is contributing $34.5 mil-
lion in incentives and Ottawa is
kicking in $20 million.
“This will be one of the most
technologically advanced poultry
facilities in the world,” Lakhotia
said. “You need constant invest-
ment to stay competitive.”
Mayor Matt Brown cheered what
he calls the single largest food-
“The first thing I said was, ‘What
can we do?’ ” Ford said Monday,
recalling his phone call Sunday
with Travis Hester, the head of
GM Canada. “He said, ‘The ship
has already left the dock.’ ”
The closing of GM’s Oshawa
operation, just east of Toronto,
would deliver a major economic
blow to the region and will be felt
at Ontario and national levels.
Besides Oshawa, the automaker
said Monday it plans to close four
U.S. plants and two overseas by
the end of 2019 as part of a global
restructuring that will see GM cut
costs and focus more on autono-
mous and electric vehicles.
See CLOSING | A4
Opens Next Week! Dec. 5 to 23
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Dennis Garnhum
Starring Jan Alexandra Smith as Scrooge
grandtheatre.com 519.672.8800
se a s on title
sp ons or sp ons or
P OST M E D I A
SECTION B
Maple Leaf to unveil plans
for $660M south-end poultry
processing plant today
SUBMITTED
­sector investment in the city.
“This is absolutely fantastic news
This is for London,” he said. “We should
all be ecstatic. This is important
about to the local economy.”
being more Brown credited LEDC for landing
the plant, saying the city’s economic
efficient, development model works. “They
and Maple do important work to retain, grow
Leaf will and attract investment and jobs.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, fed-
force the economy to eral Agriculture Minister Lawrence
come up with skilled MacAulay, other politicians and in-
dustry officials are expected in Lon-
personnel for these don for today’s announcement.
jobs. London is the “This is excellent news for the
London area,” said Sylvain Char-
right place for this.” lebois, a professor in food distribu-
tion and policy at Dalhousie Uni-
Prof. Sylvain Charlebois, versity in Halifax.
Dalhousie University
See MAPLE LEAF | A4
INSIDE
Former NHLer
Daniel Carcillo
alleges he was bullied,
hazed with Sarnia
Sting in 2002-03.
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Hours Monday-Wednesday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
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Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm • Sunday 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
44 Meg Dr. (off Exeter Rd.) London, Ontario
519.668.1200 | 1.800.265.1208
We offer financing No interest No payments for 12 months*
*See store for details. Items subject to prior sale.
Some items not exactly as shown.