Whipped: An Arthur Beauchamp Novel(52)
It remains to be seen whether either party will seek a trial by jury as opposed to judge alone. I suspect the latter is the more likely choice. Chief Justice Rachel Cohon-Plaskett will preside in any event. While Mr. Farquist’s legal team may be feeling bruised by her peremptory dismissal of the effort to restrain further publication of the alleged slander, they will be aware that she was not only a Conservative appointment but a candidate for that party, albeit a losing one, in a federal election nearly a decade ago.
Still, she is said to have been allied more closely with the party’s progressive wing — the so-called Red Tories — than with its current hardline leadership. So Mr. Beauchamp may well opt for the relative safety of a bright, tough-minded, no-nonsense former defence counsel than risk a jury pulled from constituents of Mr. Farquist, who won his seat in a landslide.
There will be no rush to judgment. The trial is unlikely to take place for at least a year, but expect much sparring, in court and out, as the parties gird for a final showdown.
At the least, the trial and the anticipation around it will do much to divert Albertans from the moribund state of the province’s economy.
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Calgary Herald, Friday, July 5
CALGARY — Nearly all proceeds from Emil Farquist’s $50 million defamation suit against Green leader Margaret Blake will be donated to the Alberta Sick Children’s Hospital Foundation, it was announced on Wednesday.
The promise was made by Jonas Hawkes, chief political aide to Environment Minister Farquist, at an impromptu press conference during the annual “Across the Border” ceremony honouring America’s Independence Day at the Calgary Stampede grounds. He said “every cent” of the $45 million claim for aggravated and punitive damages would be earmarked for the hospital fund. The announcement was greeted with cheers.
Hawkes met with reporters following a flag-raising ceremony and the introduction of prominent politicians from Canada and the U.S., including Farquist, who received an ovation that was notably louder and more sustained than that bestowed on Alberta’s popular new premier. Indeed, the entire event evolved into a tribute for the minister, who worked the crowd with back-slapping bonhomie. However, he refused to answer questions relating to the controversial slander action.
When asked, Hawkes denied any effort to sway a Calgary jury was intended. And he took issue with a suggestion that the idea of a charitable gift was prompted by criticism — particularly in legal circles — over the lavish claim for $50 million.
He took umbrage when asked whether Farquist’s legal fees were being paid by the federal government, saying that any discussion about fees was “inappropriate.”
Ms. Blake, who has returned to her home and her Vancouver Island constituency, was not available for comment, but her lawyer — and husband — Arthur Beauchamp, said, with apparent wryness, “Very generous of him.”
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Fit to Be Tied (Online Newsletter of the Canadian BDSM Society), Monday, July 8
by the editor
Are we having fun yet? Your faithful editor certainly is, as all eyes in the BDSM community are riveted on the magnificent rumpus over the claims of fun and games engaged in (allegedly, of course) by political top dog Emil Farquist, who holds the delightful title of Chief Conservative Whip. (Or is he, as reputed whipee, the bottom dog?)
The controversy certainly has its upside, in terms of giving more public awareness and legitimacy to the playful, healthy, stress-relieving games our society was formed to defend.
But we are disappointed that lawyers for Margaret Blake (the Green Dominatrix, as we like to call her) haven’t raised a defence that should have been staring at them in the face. Whether or not her lovely little tale was true (pony rides! Haven’t we all loved them since we were toddlers?), is it defamatory?
That implies BDSM activities are shameful, when there is ample evidence that they have been powerfully therapeutic for many who have gone on to lead successful lives through channelling anger, guilt, and shame into a form of theatre. Sexual play with a frisson of danger, but never harm — a per-session accident rate of 2 percent.
As all readers of this newsletter know, BDSM is practised by thousands of respectable citizens. We count in our ranks bankers and accountants, business leaders, artists, professors. Many of us condemned by prejudice to remain closeted.
This was a historic opportunity for Ms. Blake, a missed chance to denounce bigotry and honour her commitment to cultural tolerance and diversity. Witnesses could have been called, expert psychologists, to say that Farquist was doing something sexually and psychologically healthy.
If the allegations against Mr. Farquist are true, it is sad that he is in denial. We hope that one day, when all the feathers have settled, he considers joining our society and becoming a robust campaigner for our goals.
B.J. Anon, Editor.
(P.S. On page two, there is a discussion about quirts and riding crops — their appropriate uses and recommended brands. On page three, the Tips’n’ Techniques column features the Pony Ride.)
THE SIERRA FILE
Monday, July 8
Dear Arthur,
Lest you fear I have become incommunicado, or have somehow disappeared, I am very much in this world, though I confess to having avoided contact by telephone or email, thus this couriered, typewritten report. One worries about tapped lines, hostile ears and eyes; we dare not assume our opponents are without resources. I am sure you and Margaret will take appropriate caution.