Mayor files lawsuit in response to editorial in student newspaper

Mayor Sam Katz says it’s a personnel matter and he has not been told why senior staff relieved Douglas of his duties. (file image)

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz has filed a lawsuit against the University of Winnipeg, Mouseland Press, the parent company of the school’s student newspaper The Uniter, and student Josh Benoit.

In court documents filed January 28, Katz claims an editorial written by Benoit that appeared in the print edition of The Uniter on December 4, 2013, states that Katz “is a criminal, has committed criminal acts pertaining to insider trading, belongs in jail, and is evil.”

Katz is suing for damages to be determined by the courts and legal costs.

In a statement, the University of Winnipeg said it is erroneously included in the lawsuit and that it has no control over the student newspaper’s actions, editorial content, reporters or editorial board.

Nicholas Friesen, managing editor of The Uniter, said newspaper staff have not yet had time to review the Statement of Claim and would not be commenting publicly until they had done so.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.