Livent co-founder Garth Drabinsky is shown in Toronto on March 25, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
January 09, 2014 - 7:51 AM
TORONTO - Disgraced theatre mogul Garth Drabinsky has lost his fight to reclaim the Order of Canada that was stripped away while he served his prison sentence for fraud.
A federal court judge has dismissed Drabinsky's application for a judicial review saying he found "no basis" for allowing it.
Judge James O'Reilly says he found the Order of Canada advisory council, its secretary general and the Governor General treated Drabinsky "fairly and in particular, respected the procedures that he would have legitimately expected to be followed."
Drabinsky — who is currently on day parole in Toronto — had asked the court to declare the decision of the Order of Canada advisory council unlawful.
He wanted the court to order the council to consider more submissions from him, now that he was out of prison, about why he should get to keep the honour he received in 1995.
But a lawyer for the council argued that the advisory council's process was fair and involved ample consideration of Drabinsky's arguments.
Drabinsky and business partner Myron Gottlieb were convicted in 2009 for a book-cooking scheme that ultimately resulted in the demise of Livent Inc., the company behind such hits as "Phantom of the Opera'' and "Ragtime.''
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014