Former Alberta justice minister Jonathan Denis 'attempted to influence' witness testimony, law society alleges

Meghan Grant · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 4:02 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Former Alberta justness curate Jonathan Denis is facing 2 caller allegations of nonrecreational misconduct successful transportation with a "threatening" missive sent connected his behalf to a plaintiff who was successful the mediate of testifying.

The latest allegations travel conscionable 1 time aft CBC News reported that Denis is appealing 2 erstwhile Law Society of Alberta citations and fines.

When asked however Denis is feeling astir the latest development, Hepner said he's "not large for a fig of reasons but we're dealing with it."

The caller citations are connected to a suit filed by Alberta's erstwhile main aesculapian examiner Anny Sauvageau who sued the state and was mid-testimony successful an Edmonton courtroom successful 2022 erstwhile she received a missive sent connected Denis' behalf, threatening defamation action.

• Former main aesculapian examiner's wrongful dismissal proceedings halted amid defamation threat

Denis was initially recovered blameworthy of contempt of tribunal implicit the missive but that was yet overturned by the Alberta Court of Appeal which recovered the justice presiding implicit the proceeding had made procedural errors.

The archetypal instrumentality nine citation is connected to the allegation that Denis "attempted to power the grounds of a witnesser astatine proceedings by threatening a defamation action."

The 2nd citation alleges Denis "failed to enactment honourably and with integrity by utilizing a inferior subordinate to nonstop a threatening missive connected his behalf."

The missive astatine the centre of the behaviour allegations was sent connected Denis' behalf by Kyle Shewchuk, a lawyer astatine Denis's Calgary-based Guardian Law steadfast who'd been practising for conscionable 8 months astatine the time.

• Former Alberta justness curate Jonathan Denis cleared connected contempt of tribunal conviction

Sauvageau's three-year declaration was not renewed erstwhile it expired successful 2014. She filed a $7.6 cardinal wrongful dismissal suit against the Alberta government.

Denis was justness curate erstwhile Sauvageau's declaration was not renewed. 

That suit had made its mode to tribunal and, successful April 2022, Sauvageau was mid-testimony erstwhile her lawyer received a letter, sent by a inferior lawyer astatine Denis' steadfast connected his behalf. 

'We person been intimately watching'

It accused Sauvageau of engaging "in a seven-year run of defamation and harassment" against Denis and went connected to say, "We person been intimately watching Dr. Sauvageau's existent proceedings and are alert that … Dr. Sauvageau's defamation of Mr. Denis has continued unabated."

"Mr. Denis is simply a respected and renowned lawyer and concern idiosyncratic and volition not tolerate these tortious actions against him. These actions indispensable forthwith cease and we reserve the close to notation to this correspondence should Dr. Sauvageau's defamation continue."

At the time, Denis's lawyer insisted that the missive was not meant to interaction Sauvageau's ongoing grounds and was written retired of interest that she was speaking with media extracurricular of court. 

While the proceedings justice recovered that the missive had a chilling effect connected Sauvageau and ruled Denis was successful contempt, the tribunal of entreaty ruled that erstwhile cited successful contempt, the lawsuit should past person been handed implicit to different justice for a afloat hearing.

• Former main aesculapian examiner abandons $7.6M suit against Alberta government

Denis' contempt condemnation was overturned. 

Months later, successful September 2022, Sauvageau abandoned her lawsuit. 

Other instrumentality nine citations

In 2023, Denis was cited by the instrumentality nine connected 2 sets of allegations involving a struggle of involvement and a menace made to a woman's employment. 

Denis was convicted and fined $5,000 successful precocious 2024. He has besides been ordered to wage $15,000 successful costs. 

CBC News reported Thursday that Denis is appealing his convictions, fines and ineligible costs. 

A day for his latest instrumentality nine proceeding has not been set. 

Denis, a erstwhile Progressive Conservative MLA for Calgary-Acadia, opened a instrumentality steadfast aft losing his spot successful the 2015 provincial election.