''THE RIGHT THING TO DO'' NSRA STYLE

On our post of September 22, 2008 NSRA ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT C.A.G.E. , we reported that the NSRA (Non-Smokers’ Rights Association) listed C.A.G.E. as a front group for the tobacco industry.

After sending them a letter of demand to prove their allegations or retract them and apologize and since obviously they had no proof to back up their claims, they reclassified C.A.G.E. as an ‘’Organization that behaves like tobacco industry fronts’’ under the sub-category of ‘’Hospitality Associations’’ (how we ever became a hospitality association is a mystery, but that’s besides the point). They however did not feel that ‘’it was the right thing to do’’ to apologize albeit we insisted on such public apologies. The last letter we sent to them to this effect came back undelivered.

Since the NSRA for some obscure reason did not get our letter (or refused to accept its delivery), we are giving them another chance to publicly apologize for their allegations by posting apologies right in their website or if they so wish, right here in the comments of this blog. Don’t worry, we know better than to hold our breath waiting for such apologies.

For our readers’ benefit and perusal, we are posting the complete correspondence we exchanged with Mr. Garfield Mahood of the NSRA.
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C A N A D A
PROVINCE OF QUEBEC
DISTRICT OF MONTREAL

MISE EN DEMEURE

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NSRA Toronto:
720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 221
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9
Canada
Tel. (416) 928-2900
Fax. (416) 928-1860
e-mail: toronto@nsra-adnf.ca

Re: C.A.G.E. CANADA
False Accusations
March 2008 to Present

S I R S:

TAKE NOTICE THAT it was brought to our attention by Dr. Michael Siegel through his internet blog at http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/ that you categorize C.A.G.E. as a tobacco industry front group. You do not cite any evidence for this accusation. Other people and/or groups, however, do cite your statements as a source for similar accusations. This false and unsupported statement made by your organization is a direct attack on the integrity of the people who have been most active in directing C.A.G.E., such as Daniel Romano, David Romano, Iro Cyr, Lucy Brown, Joel Desmers. This defamation is also an affront to all of the well intentioned and dedicated individual members of C.A.G.E.

We ask you to either produce the proof to back up your accusations or immediately remove them from your website replacing them with a public apology. We ask that you respond by October 10th, 2008, after which we will have no choice but to proceed by any legal means necessary, without further notice to you..

At this time, we estimate that damages resulting from personal harassment and
defamation campaigns launched by people who depended upon exactly the sort of false information that you published on your website have caused the abovementioned individuals damages of in excess of $200,000, for which we are prepared to hold you jointly and severally liable.

C.A.G.E. CANADA, 3445 Drummond, Suite 307; Montreal, QC H3G 1X9
514-288-5016 info@cagecanada.ca; www.cagecanada.ca

Kindly communicate with us on or before October 10th, 2008 failing which we will have no alternative but to institute the legal proceedings deemed necessary in the circumstances.

AND DO GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.


MONTREAL, September 25th, 2008
DANIEL ROMANO, BCL, LL.B., MA
PRESIDENT
C.A.G.E. CANADA

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Non-Smokers' Rights Association
L'Association pour les droits des non-fumeurs

October 1, 2008

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Mr. Daniel Romano
President
C.A.G.E. Canada
3445 Drummond, Suite 307
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 1X9

Dear Mr. Romano:

Re: Exposing recent tobacco industry front groups and alliances

I am in receipt of your letter of September 25, 2008 which complains of statements made in the
above report. Your letter certainly triggered my curiosity. How, for example, could any
organization claim that its reputation was damaged when its website contains a sufficient number of passages that are so outside the boundaries of legitimate science that they ensure that the organization has no reputation worth saving? What standard of evidence would be required to substantiate an allegation that the Flat Earth Society could not be damaged by an accidental micharacterization?

But let me set aside for the moment how such an organization might persuade a court that it was something other than a source of pseudo-science and the monetary value that might be associated with that. Let me turn to your allegation. The report that is the subject of your concern was prepared by two employees, one of who is on leave and the other who is no longer with our Association. I had not read the report in question. It may have been drawn to my attention but I had not read it either on paper or on our website.

I will speak to my staff, obtain a report and address your complaint. If you have a legitimate concern, the report will be fixed, not because of any legal threat but because doing so is the right thing to do.

Sincerely,


Garfield Mahood, OC
Executive Director


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C.A.G.E. Canada
3445 Drummond, #307
Montreal, QC H3G 1X9
October 8, 2008

Without Prejudice


NSRA Toronto:
720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 221
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9
Canada
Tel. (416) 928-2900
Fax. (416) 928-1860
e-mail: toronto@nsra-adnf.ca

Re: C.A.G.E. CANADA
False Accusations
March 2008 to Present

Dear Mr. Mahood,

Thank you for your response of October 1st. We are very happy to hear that your
organization has a concern with “the right thing to do,” and look forward to either seeing your
evidence for the allegations you made against us or a retraction and apology.

Regarding the Flat Earth Society – we find your raising of this matter very apropos.
When the likes of Galileo and Copernicus challenged the prevailing orthodoxy, the entrenched
dogma, the officially sanctioned creed, and the “science” of a flat earth, they were vilified and
called all manner of things.

That the Flat Earth Society still clings to a “scientific” thesis that was proven false is
now amusing. It would be much less amusing if this society and its antiquated mandate
received substantial government funding and was taken seriously by the media, as is the case
with some organizations and advocacy groups in Canada.

Sincerely Yours,
Daniel Romano, BCL, LL.B., MA
President
C.A.G.E. CANADA

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C.A.G.E. Canada
3445 Drummond, #307
Montreal, QC H3G 1X9

October 16, 2008

Without Prejudice

NSRA Toronto:
720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 221
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9
Canada
Tel. (416) 928-2900
Fax. (416) 928-1860
e-mail: toronto@nsra-adnf.ca

ATTENTION: Garfield Mahood

Re: C.A.G.E. CANADA
False Accusations
March 2008 to Present

Dear Mr. Mahood,

We note that you have ceased publishing your unjustified and unfounded allegations
that C.A.G.E. is a tobacco front group. You now list C.A.G.E. as a group that acts in a manner
similar to a front group. We thank you for your effort to do “the right thing” in this matter.
Now how about that apology that you owe for the false representations with respect to
C.A.G.E.? Does not that also fall under the category of “the right thing to do”?

Sincerely,
Daniel Romano, BCL, LL.B., MA
President
C.A.G.E. CANADA