the RRCA
On March 27, 2008, Russel Richards had started a court action against the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association and several present or past board members.
The lawsuit involved Richards’ position as sales barn manager and his termination on May 17, 2007.
The defendants also had a counterclaim against Richards for defamation.
The lawsuit against the board members previously was dismissed by Justice E.W. Stach of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Jan. 19, 2009.
The lawsuit went to trial for seven days before The Honourable Justice D.C. Shaw of the Ontario Superior Court, which heard evidence of several witnesses for Richards and the RRCA.
On Dec. 29, 2010, Justice Shaw dismissed Richards’ lawsuit against the RRCA.
The court stated that “Mr. Richards had no choice . . . but to work with the president of the corporation he had contracted with.
“The association was entitled to terminate Mr. Richards’ unacceptable conduct towards the president and towards the secretary-treasurer.”
Justice Shaw also required Richards to pay financial compensation for defamation of two board members.
The full text of the decision of Justice Shaw soon will be available through the website of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (www.canlii.org).
