Leo Landreville
Encyclopedia
Leo Landreville was a Canadian
politician and lawyer, who served as mayor of Sudbury, Ontario
in 1955 and 1956 before being appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario
as a judge. He later became the first Ontario Supreme Court justice ever to be removed from the bench, after being implicated in the Northern Ontario Natural Gas
scandal.
Landreville, a native of Ottawa
, practiced law in Sudbury in the 1940s and 1950s before becoming the city's mayor. During his mayoral term, he was offered an option on 10,000 shares of stock in Northern Ontario Natural Gas, a company run by Ralph K. Farris that was seeking a municipal agreement on the construction of a natural gas
pipeline through Northern Ontario
. When the NONG contract was approved by city council, Farris purchased the shares at the original price offered to Landreville, sold 2,500 shares to reimburse the company, and delivered the 7,500 remaining shares to Landreville at no cost.
Following his appointment to the Supreme Court, Landreville sold the shares for a profit of $117,000.
After an Ontario Securities Commission
investigation into NONG's stock distributions, it was ultimately revealed that many of Northern Ontario's mayors, as well as some members of Premier
Leslie Frost
's cabinet, had received low-cost shares.
After a second investigation, Landreville was charged with municipal corruption and conspiracy, and was acquitted as there was no evidence that he had exerted any influence on Sudbury's city council to approve the NONG contract. In response, however, the Law Society of Upper Canada
held a secret hearing in which it determined that despite the acquittal, Landreville's conduct had fallen below the "standards of probity" demanded of a judge, and called for his resignation.
In 1966, Prime Minister
Lester Pearson appointed a Royal Commission
, chaired by Ivan Rand
, to investigate the case. Controversially, the Law Society report was admitted into the proceedings, but the original judgement acquitting Landreville of misconduct was not. Landreville was also never given an opportunity, as required under law, to respond to the royal commission's report.
Landreville initially refused to resign from the bench, leading Pearson's government to announce, on June 6, 1967, an unusual joint address of the House of Commons
and the Senate
to have him removed from the bench. He was then convinced to resign voluntarily with the promise of a partial pension
.
Pierre Trudeau
, then Justice Minister
, later wrote to advise Landreville that the federal cabinet had decided not to offer Landreville the pension, although subsequent Access to Information
requests revealed that the cabinet had made no such decision. Landreville waged a ten-year legal battle to have the pension offer honoured, and was finally offered $250,000.
Landreville subsequently returned to practicing law.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and lawyer, who served as mayor of Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1955 and 1956 before being appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario
Supreme Court of Ontario
The Supreme Court of Ontario was a superior court of the Canadian province of Ontario. Now defunct, in 1989 the Courts of Justice Amendment Act, 1989 was enacted by the Government to create one large superior trial court for Ontario...
as a judge. He later became the first Ontario Supreme Court justice ever to be removed from the bench, after being implicated in the Northern Ontario Natural Gas
Northern Ontario Natural Gas
Northern Ontario Natural Gas was a natural gas company in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s, which was involved in a stock trading scandal that implicated Supreme Court of Ontario judge Leo Landreville and three members of Premier Leslie Frost's cabinet....
scandal.
Landreville, a native of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, practiced law in Sudbury in the 1940s and 1950s before becoming the city's mayor. During his mayoral term, he was offered an option on 10,000 shares of stock in Northern Ontario Natural Gas, a company run by Ralph K. Farris that was seeking a municipal agreement on the construction of a natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline through Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
. When the NONG contract was approved by city council, Farris purchased the shares at the original price offered to Landreville, sold 2,500 shares to reimburse the company, and delivered the 7,500 remaining shares to Landreville at no cost.
Following his appointment to the Supreme Court, Landreville sold the shares for a profit of $117,000.
After an Ontario Securities Commission
Ontario Securities Commission
The Ontario Securities Commission is a regulatory agency which administers and enforces securities legislation in the Canadian province of Ontario...
investigation into NONG's stock distributions, it was ultimately revealed that many of Northern Ontario's mayors, as well as some members of Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Leslie Frost
Leslie Frost
Leslie Miscampbell Frost, was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the 16th Premier from May 4, 1949 to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man Ontario".-Early years:...
's cabinet, had received low-cost shares.
After a second investigation, Landreville was charged with municipal corruption and conspiracy, and was acquitted as there was no evidence that he had exerted any influence on Sudbury's city council to approve the NONG contract. In response, however, the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
held a secret hearing in which it determined that despite the acquittal, Landreville's conduct had fallen below the "standards of probity" demanded of a judge, and called for his resignation.
In 1966, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Lester Pearson appointed a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
, chaired by Ivan Rand
Ivan Rand
Ivan Cleveland Rand, CC was a Canadian lawyer, politician, academic, and Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....
, to investigate the case. Controversially, the Law Society report was admitted into the proceedings, but the original judgement acquitting Landreville of misconduct was not. Landreville was also never given an opportunity, as required under law, to respond to the royal commission's report.
Landreville initially refused to resign from the bench, leading Pearson's government to announce, on June 6, 1967, an unusual joint address of the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
and the Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
to have him removed from the bench. He was then convinced to resign voluntarily with the promise of a partial pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
.
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
, then Justice Minister
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
, later wrote to advise Landreville that the federal cabinet had decided not to offer Landreville the pension, although subsequent Access to Information
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
requests revealed that the cabinet had made no such decision. Landreville waged a ten-year legal battle to have the pension offer honoured, and was finally offered $250,000.
Landreville subsequently returned to practicing law.
External links
- "Falling Off the Bench", Books in Canada