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Monday, February 27, 2012

Ferguson's Allegations Called "Reckless"

The defamation trial of former Common Councillor John Ferguson continues to hear from Saint John East M-L-A Glen Tait, a former Common Councillor himself and pension board trustee.
 
Tait told the court he grew increasingly frustrated with Ferguson making allegations without offering up any proof to substantiate them and believes a conflict of interest allegation was mean't to discredit him personally. 

Tait was receiving a city pension while serving on Council along with the pension board and sought a legal opinion as to whether he was in a conflict of interest but tells the jury his pension benefits did not change or increase. 

Tait freely admits, at the time in 2007, Common Council and City Staff were not having a positive relationship and Ferguson got under his skin many times. 

In a letter to Council, City Solicitor John Nugent called the allegations being made about the pension board "reckless".

Tait opposed Ferguson's suggestion of setting up an ethics commission believing it would only foster the public impression that something wrong was going on.