Thursday, April 28, 2011

Court dates for egg issues postponed

The key court cases pending on the Ontario egg-industry scandals have been changed from May 10 to June 10.

When that day comes in Superior Court for the Durham Region, held in Oshawa, the day is to begin with two L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. moves to cite whistleblower Norman Bourdeau for contempt of court.

Next up will by the Svante Lind/Sweda Farms Ltd./Best Choice Eggs, motion to consolidate three lawsuits it has filed against L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. (now known as Grayridge), Burnbrae Farms Ltd. and Egg Farmers of Ontario. Lawyer Don Good of Ottawa will soon be filing a motherlode of affidavits and a set of new pleadings.

And finally the court will get to the issue of whether, and how much, of the electronic information Bourdeau took from L.H. Gray and Sons Ltd. will be allowed as evidence in the lawsuits. That information is currently under court protection.

The judge has ruled on motions the egg companies and egg board made, asking that their court costs be paid by Lind. The judge said Burnbrae and the egg board will get nothing, but that Gray is entitled to $83,000. Lind is expected to appeal that award.