The Law Society of Upper Canada has started disciplinary proceedings against John Nunziata, alleging the former Liberal MP and Toronto mayoral candidate lied under oath.
Trouble began for Nunziata in Oct. 2008 when he was arrested by Toronto police and charged with assault after he kicked his ex-wife’s boyfriend, Murray Milthorpe, during a hockey game. Milthorpe had apparently said something that upset Nunziata’s then 14-year-old daughter, prompting the boot, the former Liberal MP told the Ontario Court of Justice during his 2010 trial.
Nunziata later admitted to the assault before Ontario Court Justice Fern Weinper, and was sentenced to a year’s probation.
But, in a
notice of application filed Jan. 3, the law society alleges Nunziata lied under oath during a Nov. 6, 2008 pretrial hearing before Justice of the Peace Rudy Skjarum, where Nunziata testified that he did not kick Milthorpe.
Nunziata admitted under oath during his trial in May that he did kick the man, according to the notice of application.
The law society alleges Nunziata contravened s. 33 of the Law Society Act that by engaging in conduct “unbecoming a licensee.” If convicted, he could face disbarment.
Law society spokesperson Susan Tonkin confirmed Wednesday a proceeding management conference is currently scheduled for Nunziata 9 a.m. Jan. 23 at the Osgoode Hall.
If Nunziata or his representative doesn’t attend, the LSUC panelist conducting the conference has the option of carrying on the proceedings in their absence, according to the notice.
Nunziata served as MP for York South-Weston from 1984 to 2000. He also ran against David Miller for mayor of Toronto in 2003, and is currently a non-practicing lawyer living in Toronto.
This is the first disciplinary proceeding against him, according to the regulator’s web site.
