Boldt tells media her case was a miscarriage of justice

The following is the exact text of a statement Councillor Maureen Boldt made to the media today from her home in North Bay.

Boldt is calling for a judicial review and public inquiry into her case and says she was wrongfully convicted calling the outcome a miscarriage of justice.

********************

The public should be outraged over this issue- not at my conduct, or me but at the Judiciary for how this situation has been handled. A public inquiry or judicial review should be demanded. What has occurred is a miscarriage of justice. I will present the facts that prove I have been wrongfully convicted. This was a civil conviction and not a criminal offence.

These facts lead to the demise of my 15-year-old business, and the loss of my financial and physical freedom. To add insult to injury, soon it appears that most of my fellow Councillors would have me resign from my elected post. I have 12 days to pay LSUC $35,000.00. If I am unable to meet this order, by December 1, I will be confined in a jail cell for four months, and still owe the $35,000.00.

There has been much speculation in regards to this matter. I am going to present you with facts.

Fact: In 2000, Justice Mike Bolan said, Boldt, you cannot prepare any wills, incorporations, uncontested divorces, or separation agreements. I must impress upon you that there thousands of paralegals in this province that continued until recently to provide these services to the public.

Fact: In 2005, the LSUC brought me back to court for a contempt hearing. They did not have one single will, incorporation, uncontested divorce or separation agreement.

Fact: They had one client and one mediation. The Law Society said the mediation was a separation agreement and the judge found me guilty, even though LSUC's two expert witnesses disagreed with each other. One said my client got a product of mediation, the other said she got a poor separation agreement. The mediation presented against me is what mediators have continued to produce- a Memorandum of Understanding that incidentally listed the lawyers that my clients consulted before signing. This evidence was ignored. The client testified that she received no family law advice despite what was stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, which she signed. The court failed to acknowledge this. The "beyond a reasonable doubt" test was ignored. Two years later- I am such a menace to society- I was sentenced.

Fact: At the sentencing hearing, I tried to prove my innocence- the client's lawyer, that she was referred to by me for family law advice, prior to signing the agreement, was brought to testify. The judge refused to allow him to speak, as he did not have release of solicitor/client confidentiality.

Fact: I then went to the Police Station with the transcript of the hearing were I met with a Criminal Investigations Officer. I was interviewed and advised that an investigation would be undertaken with the possibility of charging the witness with perjury and obstruction of justice.

Fact: The witness was contacted by the officer and was told that everything stated in court was true. She was then asked if they could speak to Bill Sangster, her lawyer. She said that they could not and she would not release him from solicitor/client confidentiality. If, she was in fact not given family law advice by Bill Sangster, how then can there be any solicitor/client confidentiality?

I was first elected in 1997 and am now serving my fourth term on Council. Currently, I am Vice Chair of Community Services, Chair of Social Services and Chair of Social Housing. I have dedicated thousands of hours of my time on numerous boards and commissions for the betterment of our community.

I have been wrongfully convicted. This is a miscarriage of justice. The public should be outraged at the judiciary and demand a judicial review and a public inquiry.

********************