The owner of a Toronto pub located on city-owned beachfront land said Tuesday he plans to sue mayoral candidate Rob Ford for libel over comments the controversial politician made earlier this year.
The lawyer for George Foulidis, who owns the Boardwalk Pub on Lakeshore Boulevard in the Woodbine Park area of the Beach, confirmed to CBC News that Ford was served with papers naming him in a $6-million libel suit.
The action came after Foulidis demanded that Ford apologize for suggesting he bribed city officials to extend his lease on the pub to 2028 without opening up the food services concession, which Foulidis has run since the 1980s, to other bidders.
Ford refused to back down from his comments.
The lawsuit says Ford made the claims "purely for political purposes."
At issue are comments Ford made to the Toronto Sun in August about the city's renewed deal with Foulidis's company, Tuggs Inc., which also expanded his licence to sell merchandise and alcohol in other parts of the beachfront.
The mayoral candidate told the Sun editorial board the contract "stinks to high heaven" and "smacks of civic corruption."
Foulidis said at the time that the comments have damaged his reputation, hurt his business and caused embarrassment to his wife and family.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/12/toronto-ford-lawsuit.html#socialcomments#ixzz12D6u64rQ
