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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Counsel in Douglas inquiry quits

By: Mia Rabson

Posted: 08/27/2012 2:51 PM

Independent counsel Guy Pratte (left) follows Sheila Block, counsel for Judge Lori Douglas, into court in May 2012. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

OTTAWA – The judicial inquiry examining the future of Justice Lori Douglas hit another snag Monday as the independent counsel appointed to present the evidence suddenly quit.

Guy Pratte, a lawyer from Ottawa, submitted his resignation letter effective immediately and it was accepted by the Canadian Judicial Council.

Pratte was appointed a year ago. His role was to present evidence in the case that would both potentially be favourable and unfavourable to Douglas.

Douglas’s future on the bench is in question after allegations were made she and her husband sexually harassed one of her husband’s former clients and then paid him to keep quiet about it.

That client, Alexander Chapman, complained to the CJC in 2010, seven years after the alleged incident took place. The CJC is the body tasked with overseeing judicial conduct. Both an initial review of the case and a more thorough examination determined the case warranted a full judicial inquiry.

This is only the ninth time that has happened in the last 40 years.

But the inquiry has faced repeated delays and is on hiatus after less than two weeks of hearings in July after Douglas’s lawyer raised concerns the five-member inquiry committee hearing the case had shown bias against her client.

The committee, made up of three provincial chief justices and two lawyers, denied that to be the case.

Douglas’s lawyer, Sheila Block, has now gone to court to try and end the inquiry.

Last week Pratte too sought a federal court intervention in the hearing over the issue of bias. Both Pratte and Block, allege the questioning of witnesses by the committee’s lawyer was overly aggressive and contravenes the rules of the CJC.

CJC policy is to appoint a lawyer to assist the committee but that lawyer is not to participate in the hearings.

In July Pratte said he might step down if the aggressive questioning by the committee’s lawyer didn’t stop.

A spokesman for the CJC said a new independent counsel will be appointed as soon as possible.

Thus far, no specific reason for Pratte’s departure has been given.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca

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