Canadian Mayor Says Newspaper Defamed Him

MONTREAL (CN) - The mayor of Pointe Claire, Quebec says a newspaper defamed him by accusing him of spending more than $23,000 of public money on meals.

Bill McMurchie says the French-language daily La Presse accused him of incurring "a real orgy of expenses with the funds entrusted to him by the citizens of Pointe-Claire."

In his Superior Court complaint, McMurchie says La Presse's July 15 story led other media outlets to repeat the defamation, including The Gazette, CTV and CJAD Radio.

He claims CTV aired newscasts accompanied by pictures of wine and "obscenely large steaks," referred to him as the "biggest spender" with the "heaviest meal tab." He adds that CTV was the only news outlet to retract and apologize for its statements after the city treasurer showed proof that he had actually spent less than $2000 on meals in 2007.

McMurchie demands $300,000 in damages.

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