JUDGE REFUSES BOB VERDUN'S REQUEST FOR HOUSE ARREST STAY

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Verdun can't spend winter in Barbados, judge rules". Yesterday at the Ontario Court of Appeal Judge Benotto turned down Mr. Verdun's request for a stay of his seven month house arrest. While the lawyer for Robert Astley had a lot to say and numerous quotes in the Record, very little of the Judge's comments were quoted. Again the issue dealt with Mr. Verdun's position that his wife does much better with her back ailments by spending the winter in warmer weather. Again lawyer Brian Radnoff had a lot to say about that albeit simply with opinion evidence versus anything substantial. I am aware that OHIP are not particularily helpful in the case of certain kinds of relatively common back surgeries. Ontarians sometimes get the surgery done in nearby U.S. cities in order to obtain relief in a reasonable amount of time. Whether Mr. Verdun's wife's health problems can or will eventually require surgery I have no idea. In the meantime I am somewhat surprised that her age was not taken more into account as well as her husband being her caregiver.