Will a $601,000.00 award for defamation slow down keyboard warriors?
I have put this web site up to begin to repair and reclaim my reputation that over the last several years has been tarnished by defamation of one man. No, not a lover. Not and Ex, but by someone I did not even know.
This has been my 8 year journey. I am not angry, nor bitter. Certainly though I am curious as to how and why this has played out as it has. And I have the desire to help make changes so that this does not happen to anyone else. The question though, remains. Will a $601,000.00 award for defamation slow down keyboard warriors? Maybe, and maybe not. The internet is rife with mis-information and conspiracy theories. Post it, let someone read it - and suddenly it becomes truth to be debunked. In reading what I will recount here - you may even question whether or not this has really happened here in Canada to a relatively unknown civil servant. But as the judges' decisions refer to the course of events as being their findings, I can assure you that these events did in fact happen - and it is not a work of fiction. It all started in 2017, when working as the manager for By-law Services for the Town of Aurora, I issued a ticket for "dog off leash" to a local self acclaimed "by-law denier" - or at least that's the title he gave himself on the stack of business cards he left at the information desk at Town Hall. He considered himself a lobbyist. His name was Bob Lepp. |
To date this has been a process that has taken over 8 years. Read on and you will see that the wheels of justice not only turn slowly - but often their turning serves to impoverish a victim seeking justice. Through legal proceedings, delays and fees paid to advocates for the victim the costs to me near $250,000.00
The decision of Justice Pollak that is posted here took 5 years before a final decsion was made. The Summary judgement motion went forward on the 12th and 13th of July 2022. Justice Pollak released her decision on January 3rd 2023. (over 5 months after the motion hearing) . 
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I was in midst of some relationship changes and a few days after issuing the ticket, I had my surname changed back to my maiden name. Although I had some correspondence with Mr. Lepp previously, most of it had been about bylaws he was questioning the validity and enforcement of. He had also been questioning the actions - or lack thereof - of the officers for the Town.
After receiving the ticket I issued he emailed me several times about the ticket with a few veiled threats and the automated reply he got came from someone with a different last name. It was me of course - and he began to demand when my name had changed. When I advised him that the ticket I had issued was under my name at the time - he became suspicious and started his now 8 year long trolling of me. He was of course looking for proof of the stories he told himself about me that he decided were true and when he could not find said proof - accused me of changing my name because I had things about my life that I was trying to hide. ( I guess this is why people change their names?)
He began blogging relentlessly and some whould say obsessively - and daily about things he found out about me on the internet. I did have an active internet history as I had a business before returning to enforcement. I had been a Police Officer and a Firefighter as well and referred to it occasionally in my blog posts for my business. I had won several awards as a police officer (one in 2000) and Business Woman of the Year in Calgary Alberta in 2010 for my business activities. I had also won a medal in firefighting for my efforts in the "Floods of Alberta" in 2013. Mr. Lepp had "researched" all these claims and blogged that they were lies amongst other things including stating that I had mental health issues and was seen drinking and driving and trolling for men.
Over the next five years he blogged over 1,000 blog posts about me and at one point insisted I was the ex-wife or related to the York Regional Police Chief and that I was also a "child bride" and a man hater. He found my family members and ex-husband and also disparaged them online. Not surprisingly he emailed the blog posts out to hundreds of business owners in the Town of Aurora, the Town staff and all the Council members insinuating I had mental health issues, had lied and much more. In February of 2018 - I was terminated without cause - with several years of glowing performance appraisals under my belt. I had become too much of a municipal risk.
In April of 2018 - I found another position in the Town of Erin. As soon as Mr. Lepp found out I was there - he began emailing the mayor of that town - with whom he had a connection - and blogged that I was soliciting bribes, had been fired for lying and was not qualified to do the job. My contract that was supposed to be turned into a full time roll, was suddenly terminated.
And so the saga began. In the beginning, he threatened my life in an email he copied to Town of Aurora Councillors and was charged with criminal harassment and utter threats. He later was charged with criminal libel. The Justice system chose to stay the charges even after ina preliminary hearing where the Judge set the charges to trial. The phrase, "not in the interest of the public" became a recurring theme and so I decided to proceed civily. Unable at this point to find employment , I was devastated and had no income prospects.
So what did I do? I could have eaten lots of chocolate and felt sorry for myself - and for a while I probably did. But I realized at 57 years of age I still had a lot of life to live and what's more - I would have what would become a whopping legal bill. And so I re-invented myself. Far, far away from enforcement and emergency response. I began a quilting business.
In the end, in 2023 - five years after the ordeal began, Justice Pollack issued a ruling in my civil matter - finding Bob Lepp responsible for ongoing defamation and the loss of my career and income from enforcement. Her ruling can be found to the right and on following pages.
Before the ruling however, were a multitude of motions brought before the Court by Bob Lepp to try to have my lawsuit dismissed. His S.L.A.P.P. motion which was dismissed by Justice Sossin cost me $22.000.00 in and of itself. On several occasions, he filed motions and then failed to turn up - costing me overall tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
A year after Justic Pollack's ruling, Mr. Lepp filed an appeal to the Ontario Court of Appeals and was denied an appeal. He then filed an appeal the the Supreme Court of Canada - which was dismissed. Again more legal fees for me and no payment of any judgements by him. All during this time I developed my skills as a longarm quilter and did my best to pay legal fees - although the balance had mounted to the price of a mercedes.
In October of 2024, Justice Chalmers issued a ruling that Mr. Lepp, having failed to attend examination in aid of execution to divulge his assests, despite being ordered by the court at least twice to do so, vacate his home and ordered that I was to sell it and use the proceeds to partially satisfy the debt owed to me. Having sold my home and used my retirement savings to fund what legal costs I could, I thought this might put me back in the black somewhat.
Mr. Lepp attempted on at least 3 (maybe more) occasions to thwart the process and appeal any and all judges orders to sell his home. When required in January of 2025 to vacate his home - failed to do so and when finally evicted by the Sheriff had stripped the home of toilet and vanity, all faucets, all light fixtures (save two he could not remove), all closet doors and even the hot water heater - thus reducing the value of the home by almost $100,000.00. This is also a criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada (section 454). The police documented the damage and took a full statement from me. The Crown Attorney agreed that it was the right charge and there was enough evidence but did not want to proceed as "it was not in the interest of the public".
In this process Mr. Lepp also threatened a lawsuit on the realtor - and so a new one had to be located. It was 3 months of upheaval and constant repairs of the home - but it finally sold. Not before however, two other creditors came forward with debts totalling $300,000.00 against Mr. Lepp. And not before Mr. Lepp launched a small claims suit against me for "theft" of some of the items he either destroyed or took himself from the house.
So what is my lesson here? I am not yet certain. I needed to stand against a bully who was so vicious so as to destroy my career and rob me of employment and my finances. To what end? I am not certain. Perhaps it took his mind off other possible victims? I am certain it gave him something to do as he was self represented through the entire process. Which is why - in my opinion - he was able to get away with so many shenanigans in the court room and why justices gave him so much leeway.
One of the things I did learn was self reliance, resilience and self awareness. I had to self coach and remind myself that I was not the person Mr. Lepp claimed that I was. And that took daily work. Each time I would hear a new or repeated story about who I was or something I had supposedly done - I had to examine the accusation and look inward to see if there was any kernal of truth in what he claimed, and then reassure myself that was not who I was.
However, this was not done solely on my own. I had a great lawyer who pursued this to the end despite becoming a victim of his harassment herself. I also had a very positive partner - and now husband, who stood beside me, held me when I cried, yelled at me when I became too stubborn or full of self pity that I could not see clearly - and reminded me of the goodness in life when everything seemed so very dark. And I had friends and family, and advocates on my behalf. They answered the phone each time I reported another "disasterous" blog post or court appearance.
I am not bitter, nor angry. Looking at this event in its entirety though - it has made me question my belief in the justice system and of right and wrong. I can see evidence of what happened to me happening all over and in every day bullying events. Conspiracy theories. Mis-information on the internet. Untrue statements stated as facts - even after they have been proven to be untrue. And sadly thousands of people who believe and support and repeat the untruths being told.
Maybe this is what I was afraid would happen to me. Perhaps I worried that others might think I was emotionally unstable, unqualified, a man hater, a liar and a cheat and so I sought to right the wrongs being said and published about me. Which just goes to show that no matter how famous or not so famous we are - that we lean into our reputation as the core of who we are (or have been) and in our own way want others to see us in the good light that we see ourselves.
As for Bob Lepp - perhaps in a deluded way - he think the same things we all do. Perhaps this was his way to right the wrongs he perceived in society. And maybe, just maybe, I just got in his way.
After receiving the ticket I issued he emailed me several times about the ticket with a few veiled threats and the automated reply he got came from someone with a different last name. It was me of course - and he began to demand when my name had changed. When I advised him that the ticket I had issued was under my name at the time - he became suspicious and started his now 8 year long trolling of me. He was of course looking for proof of the stories he told himself about me that he decided were true and when he could not find said proof - accused me of changing my name because I had things about my life that I was trying to hide. ( I guess this is why people change their names?)
He began blogging relentlessly and some whould say obsessively - and daily about things he found out about me on the internet. I did have an active internet history as I had a business before returning to enforcement. I had been a Police Officer and a Firefighter as well and referred to it occasionally in my blog posts for my business. I had won several awards as a police officer (one in 2000) and Business Woman of the Year in Calgary Alberta in 2010 for my business activities. I had also won a medal in firefighting for my efforts in the "Floods of Alberta" in 2013. Mr. Lepp had "researched" all these claims and blogged that they were lies amongst other things including stating that I had mental health issues and was seen drinking and driving and trolling for men.
Over the next five years he blogged over 1,000 blog posts about me and at one point insisted I was the ex-wife or related to the York Regional Police Chief and that I was also a "child bride" and a man hater. He found my family members and ex-husband and also disparaged them online. Not surprisingly he emailed the blog posts out to hundreds of business owners in the Town of Aurora, the Town staff and all the Council members insinuating I had mental health issues, had lied and much more. In February of 2018 - I was terminated without cause - with several years of glowing performance appraisals under my belt. I had become too much of a municipal risk.
In April of 2018 - I found another position in the Town of Erin. As soon as Mr. Lepp found out I was there - he began emailing the mayor of that town - with whom he had a connection - and blogged that I was soliciting bribes, had been fired for lying and was not qualified to do the job. My contract that was supposed to be turned into a full time roll, was suddenly terminated.
And so the saga began. In the beginning, he threatened my life in an email he copied to Town of Aurora Councillors and was charged with criminal harassment and utter threats. He later was charged with criminal libel. The Justice system chose to stay the charges even after ina preliminary hearing where the Judge set the charges to trial. The phrase, "not in the interest of the public" became a recurring theme and so I decided to proceed civily. Unable at this point to find employment , I was devastated and had no income prospects.
So what did I do? I could have eaten lots of chocolate and felt sorry for myself - and for a while I probably did. But I realized at 57 years of age I still had a lot of life to live and what's more - I would have what would become a whopping legal bill. And so I re-invented myself. Far, far away from enforcement and emergency response. I began a quilting business.
In the end, in 2023 - five years after the ordeal began, Justice Pollack issued a ruling in my civil matter - finding Bob Lepp responsible for ongoing defamation and the loss of my career and income from enforcement. Her ruling can be found to the right and on following pages.
Before the ruling however, were a multitude of motions brought before the Court by Bob Lepp to try to have my lawsuit dismissed. His S.L.A.P.P. motion which was dismissed by Justice Sossin cost me $22.000.00 in and of itself. On several occasions, he filed motions and then failed to turn up - costing me overall tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
A year after Justic Pollack's ruling, Mr. Lepp filed an appeal to the Ontario Court of Appeals and was denied an appeal. He then filed an appeal the the Supreme Court of Canada - which was dismissed. Again more legal fees for me and no payment of any judgements by him. All during this time I developed my skills as a longarm quilter and did my best to pay legal fees - although the balance had mounted to the price of a mercedes.
In October of 2024, Justice Chalmers issued a ruling that Mr. Lepp, having failed to attend examination in aid of execution to divulge his assests, despite being ordered by the court at least twice to do so, vacate his home and ordered that I was to sell it and use the proceeds to partially satisfy the debt owed to me. Having sold my home and used my retirement savings to fund what legal costs I could, I thought this might put me back in the black somewhat.
Mr. Lepp attempted on at least 3 (maybe more) occasions to thwart the process and appeal any and all judges orders to sell his home. When required in January of 2025 to vacate his home - failed to do so and when finally evicted by the Sheriff had stripped the home of toilet and vanity, all faucets, all light fixtures (save two he could not remove), all closet doors and even the hot water heater - thus reducing the value of the home by almost $100,000.00. This is also a criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada (section 454). The police documented the damage and took a full statement from me. The Crown Attorney agreed that it was the right charge and there was enough evidence but did not want to proceed as "it was not in the interest of the public".
In this process Mr. Lepp also threatened a lawsuit on the realtor - and so a new one had to be located. It was 3 months of upheaval and constant repairs of the home - but it finally sold. Not before however, two other creditors came forward with debts totalling $300,000.00 against Mr. Lepp. And not before Mr. Lepp launched a small claims suit against me for "theft" of some of the items he either destroyed or took himself from the house.
So what is my lesson here? I am not yet certain. I needed to stand against a bully who was so vicious so as to destroy my career and rob me of employment and my finances. To what end? I am not certain. Perhaps it took his mind off other possible victims? I am certain it gave him something to do as he was self represented through the entire process. Which is why - in my opinion - he was able to get away with so many shenanigans in the court room and why justices gave him so much leeway.
One of the things I did learn was self reliance, resilience and self awareness. I had to self coach and remind myself that I was not the person Mr. Lepp claimed that I was. And that took daily work. Each time I would hear a new or repeated story about who I was or something I had supposedly done - I had to examine the accusation and look inward to see if there was any kernal of truth in what he claimed, and then reassure myself that was not who I was.
However, this was not done solely on my own. I had a great lawyer who pursued this to the end despite becoming a victim of his harassment herself. I also had a very positive partner - and now husband, who stood beside me, held me when I cried, yelled at me when I became too stubborn or full of self pity that I could not see clearly - and reminded me of the goodness in life when everything seemed so very dark. And I had friends and family, and advocates on my behalf. They answered the phone each time I reported another "disasterous" blog post or court appearance.
I am not bitter, nor angry. Looking at this event in its entirety though - it has made me question my belief in the justice system and of right and wrong. I can see evidence of what happened to me happening all over and in every day bullying events. Conspiracy theories. Mis-information on the internet. Untrue statements stated as facts - even after they have been proven to be untrue. And sadly thousands of people who believe and support and repeat the untruths being told.
Maybe this is what I was afraid would happen to me. Perhaps I worried that others might think I was emotionally unstable, unqualified, a man hater, a liar and a cheat and so I sought to right the wrongs being said and published about me. Which just goes to show that no matter how famous or not so famous we are - that we lean into our reputation as the core of who we are (or have been) and in our own way want others to see us in the good light that we see ourselves.
As for Bob Lepp - perhaps in a deluded way - he think the same things we all do. Perhaps this was his way to right the wrongs he perceived in society. And maybe, just maybe, I just got in his way.