Rob Ford Threatened With Lawsuit Over Boardwalk Pub Lease Comments

Restaurateur George Foulidis has offered mayoral candidate Rob Ford an ultimatum: apologize for “false and defamatory” statements about the pub’s lease agreement with the city or face a lawsuit.

The Ford campaign confirmed Thursday the candidate will not be offering an “I’m sorry” for comments he made in the Toronto Sun last month, claiming the process in which the city made the agreement with the Boardwalk Pub on Lake Shore Boulevard near Woodbine was “corrupt”.

City council agreed to renew the restaurant’s 20-year lease in 2006 in an untendered process that Coun. Sandra Bussin helped push through. Bussin reportedly approved of the deal in an effort to keep fast food chains out of the area.

Some claim the Boardwalk Pub has a “monopoly” over food and beverage sales in the popular area. Tuggs Inc. has been operating the boardwalk restaurant since 1986. The company is owned by George Foulidis and his family.

An attempt to reopen the issue was voted down by council last June.

“Mr. Ford, I’m challenging you here today to do what’s right. To apologize to me, my family and to come forth because it’s the right thing to do. If you do not Mr. Ford, we have no choice … but to initiate the proceedings,” Foulidis said Thursday at a press conference held in his restaurant (pictured).

Ford criticized the fact that the deal wasn’t open to other bids and that some meetings were held in-camera.

“I can’t accuse anyone or I can’t pinpoint it, but why do we have to go in camera on the Tuggs deal?” he told the Sun in August.

“These in-camera meetings, there’s more corruption and skullduggery going on in there than I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Ford also told the Sun the deal “stinks to high heaven”.

Foulidis and his lawyer Brian Shiller challenged Ford to come up with “evidence of corruption.” The restaurateur also claims the mayoral hopeful is using him for political gain.

“His other suggestion seems to be that by giving campaign donations to a local city councillor [Bussin] was improper influence, which is a ludicrous statement,” Shiller said.

Other reports suggested Foulidis and his friends and family donated $8,000 to Bussin’s campaign in 2006.

Foulidis said it’s his right as a citizen to donate to campaigns.

While Ford insists his comments were directed at the process at City Hall, and not Foulidis himself, Shiller said the mayoral candidate implicated the restaurant owner.

“Mr. Ford has severely damaged Mr. Foulidis’ reputation,” Shiller said.

“The first step in the legal process is to give Mr. Ford notice and that has been done. Let Mr. Ford come forward and correct his false statements now.”

Ford has no plans on going back on his statements.

“Rob Ford will not apologize for trying to shine a big light on the very dark corners of City Hall where he has some serious concerns about the actions of council members when this deal went forward,” Adrienne Batra, director of communications for the Ford Campaign, told CityNews.ca Thursday afternoon.

Batra said parts of the deal were referenced on purple sheets – “if it’s on a purple sheet at City Hall no councillor can speak of it outside of the in-camera meeting or outside the chamber.”

Ford’s campaign team hasn’t yet provided any evidence to back up his claims.

“At this point we haven’t even been served with the notice of libel, so we haven’t had the opportunity to consult with legal counsel,” Batra said. “Once that happens we will be able to move forward and if Mr. Foulidis is willing to spend his own money and go to court then all of this information will be made public in a discovery hearing.”

Foulidis challenged Ford to “put up or shut up” and said the mayoral candidate has also put his reputation on the line.

“There is no corruption and there is no evidence. We challenge you to bring it forth for the taxpayers of the city of Toronto to see what it is that you’re talking about,” Foulidis said.

“You have to show the citizens who you are. It’s about your integrity and honesty as well because you’re running for the office of mayor. I’m not.”