25 Jun Ramia’s SLAPP suit: a range of reactions

On Facebook this morning, Halifax Councillor Waye Mason posted a link to my critique of Joe Ramia’s lawsuit against opponents of the Nova Center, provoking a wide range of reactions—not all critical of Ramia.

I believe Ramia’s intemperate action has done lasting damage to his public image. It gives him the appearance of a man so thoroughly cocooned among people who agree with him as to have lost all perspective of the many who do not.

However, it’s also clear many Haligonians are fed up with the arduous process of getting anything past HRM’s stifling bureaucracy and excessive regulation, and with the Heritage Trust’s opposition to virtually anything new that happens in the city.

Here’s a sample of the reaction I received on Facebook and in the mailbox:

[D]ealing with HRM departments of ANY sort is a very frustrating, time consuming (for no good reason) and reeks of incompetence on all levels. I’ve been trying to build a garage on MY property and it’s been like pulling teeth to get HRM to do their small part in approving my drawings and giving me a permit to build. I can only imagine the hoops Joe Ramia has had to jump through in order to build a sky rise downtown Halifax.

It’s clear it’s a bully tactic. No doubt about it! Some will hate him for it, others will commend him for putting his foot down and saying enough is enough. I think anybody who felt they were getting dicked around by the city which made them lose millions of dollars would also put their foot down and sue out of principle. I’m sure Joe doesn’t expect to win, but I’m sure it will get some people off their asses to do whatever is necessary to get this building built. —Tyler Lopez

Though I am not a huge fan of us footing the majority of the bill for this white elephant, I must say I agree with what Ramia is doing. This has gone on long enough, and if Heritage Trust is causing the bills to rise due to their constant meddling—they have had more than their say, and have more than made their point over the many years this has dragged on—and are now doing something new to drag this on longer, I too would counter-sue. I am indifferent at this point about the convention centre, but the longer it takes to get this thing done the more expensive it will be for us all as I am guessing the added expenses will be passed on to us the taxpayers. —Richard Crooks

He’s investing about $500M in our City. Maybe he has had enough with all the delays. — a pseudonymous Facebook user

Some might say he bullied the city into selling him a section of Grafton Street, now he’s bullying anyone who uses legal means to oppose him. Good choice HRM. I hope this is the last project Ramia ever does in this town. —Frank Lively

Yes, I’m sure it is a SLAPP suit, but I think there’s another, more strategic reason for Ramia’s complaints. It is called scapegoating. Mr. Ramia is preparing for the inevitable late completion of the CC, and the probable halt of construction of his towers. He has just laid out his excuse for both of these problems.

Friends of Citadel Hill, which is closely aligned with Heritage Trust, was the only entity that brought in a “real” convention centre consultant/expert, and he stated emphatically that there was no economic future in building the Nova Centre. The reason why very few people—including the media—took him seriously was that Friends/Heritage Trust were totally without credibility because they long ago gave up concerning themselves with heritage issues and morphed into the view police.

There are two valuable lessons here for anyone who wants to influence public policy: First, stay far away from The N.S. Heritage Trust and, secondly, do not call your group the “friends” of anything. Quite frankly, in my opinion, N.S. HT have done far more harm than good in regard to saving heritage properties and influencing planning policy. Does anyone know who finances these people? They do use expensive lawyers on many occasions. I certainly hope its not public money. —Trevor Parsons

Heritage Society is the bully here by putting roadblocks up when it comes to redevelopment. Ramia might win on this one. The society should be using their monies on perserving old buildings, not media inflated lawsuits… [Ramia’s] frustration with this group has been going on longer than a decade since the development was first proposed, and he has every right to clarify whether or not the society have gone beyond their mandate . This lawsuit might determine this once and for all. —Barry J. Heath

Thanks for pointing out the expensive harm Mr. Ramia can do to these volunteers at the Heritage Trust. The costs associated to file this kind of lawsuit is in the hundreds of dollars, and the cost burden of answering it is in the tens of thousands. Even if the judge rules in favour of the defendants, their trial monies are gone and there is no legal mechanism to avoid this expensive hassle, nor to recover the fees spent. We need a swift change in our justice system to give a swift kick in the butt to these bullies of democracy and free speech. —Joanne MacPherson

I see his action as a public display of weakness, not strength. When will he provide the details of the “contracts” with the “tenants?” He should be laughed out of court. —Colin May

Ramia overplayed his hand with this lawsuit, but the city administration and the Heritage Trust would be unwise to ignore the public’s impatience with their own behaviour.