Ontario judge allows defamation lawsuit over MeToo claims to go ahead
Superior Court Justice Spencer Nicholson rejected Najwa Zebian’s motion, deciding the alleged harm done to Michael Deeb’s reputation far outweighed the public‘s interest in protecting her expressions that she posted on Facebook.As the Canadian national soccer teams head to their respective FIFA World Cups, Derek Van Diest is on the scene to cover all the action. Expect expert insights and analysis in your inbox daily throughout the tournaments, and weekly on Thursdays for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Deeb was forced to resign from two board positions and stop teaching a diversity course at Fanshawe College. He was the subject of a sexual assault and sexual exploitation investigation launched by a woman he believed came forward because of Zebian’s social mediaDeeb suffers from depression and has since left London and is working in the United Arab Emirates in education at a job paying $60,000 less than what he was making as a high school principal, Nicholson said.
Included in Nicholson’s lengthy decision are excerpts from an independent sexual harassment investigation report ordered by the school board that exonerated Deeb, but whose findings were never released to the public.Article content Deeb and Zebian had no physical or sexual conduct, the report said, but Deeb, who was in his 40s and divorced, and Zebian, who was in her 20s, stepped over the line by “relatively innocuous gestures” such as Deeb inviting her out for coffee or asking what perfume she was wearing. He also borrowed $2,800 from her when he was in a financial bind, which he repaid.
Zebian also claimed Deeb had stepped in to stop her from getting an interview for a long-term teaching position. McNair wrote that Zebian had misfiled her application. Nicholson noted only a London Free Press report included a statement that Deeb “had spurned Zebian’s advances.” Zebian tried to get the reporter to change the story, then went online to say the statement wasn’t true and to the reporter, “shame on you for this biased article which reeks of victim blaming and shaming.” The report was changed.London police services board member Michael Deeb listens during a police board meeting held at police headquarters on Nov 10, 2016.
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