2025 Men's Volleyball Nations League: Ukraine vs Canada
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National Post
21 minutes ago
- National Post
Terry Newman: Hockey Canada acquittals a reckoning for MeToo excess
Everyone in Canada seems to be living in the upside-down when it comes to the results of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. Headlines call the outcome everything from a ' crushing day ' to ' absolutely gutting for sexual assault survivors.' Megan Savard, a female lawyer representing one of the players, was criticized for even taking the case solely on the basis of being female. Article content Article content After seven long years, not only did Justice Maria Carroccia deliver verdicts of not guilty on all counts, she went much further, concluding that the complainant in the case had consented. Thursday's ruling is a reckoning — not for Hockey Canada, but for North American society, and the excesses of the MeToo movement. Article content Article content The years leading up to this point included a shady settlement paid out by Hockey Canada without the knowledge of the then junior hockey players who were eventually charged, a mistrial, and two dismissed juries. Article content And after it all, Carroccia found all five accused, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote, not guilty. Article content 'I do not find the evidence of E.M. credible or reliable. The Crown did not meet the onus on any of the counts before me,' she said when delivering her verdict in London, Ont. Thursday morning. Article content 'Much has been made in this case about the concept of consent. This case, on its facts, does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear.' Article content Article content In other words, based on inconsistencies in testimony and the evidence provided, Justice Carroccia did not believe sexual assault had taken place. Article content Article content E.M., the complainant, claimed during the trial she had been coerced into non-consensual sexual acts by multiple players in a hotel room, feeling intimidated and unable to leave. The defence, on the other hand, maintained that the acts performed that night were consensual, based on her willingness to engage in the acts and two recorded videos, one in which she said that she was 'okay with this,' and 'it was all consensual.' Article content In her version of the story, E.M. only consented to sex with one of the men, McLeod, who later texted the other men in a group chat to ask if they wanted to join them for group sex. Article content In McLeod's version, when more men arrived in the room, E.M. asked them to have sex with her, was upset when they would not, and offered them oral sex instead. Article content The judge, though, pointed to the inconsistencies between E.M.'s initial 2018 police statement and her 2022 civil suit against the players and Hockey Canada. In the first statement 'she did not describe being scared in the room.' Fear was not mentioned until the civil suit.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Time for Blue Jays to load up at trade deadline: 'We've put ourselves in position'
In what has suddenly been a 12-year major league career, George Springer has seen it all at the flashpoint moment that is baseball's trade deadline. Article content He's seen the Houston Astros attempt to load up for a run at a championship run like they did in 2017, a triumphant season in which the now Blue Jays outfielder/ designated hitter was named World Series MVP. Article content Article content He's seen teams add bit pieces and he's seen other organizations clean house, like the Jays did to some degree on their way to a last-place season just a year ago. Article content And he's seen clubhouses adapt to the changing faces and chemistry that comes along with the pursuit of even bigger goals. Article content 'I think you just keep playing and you keep doing what you need to do,' Springer said in an interview with the Toronto Sun this week, when asked about the mix of anxiety and excitement that builds as the deadline nears. 'You go to war with the guys that are in the locker room every day. And honestly? Whatever happens, happens. Article content 'I can't speak for how anybody else feels, but for me it's just about the guys who are here now and we'll see what happens.' Article content That said, Springer doesn't have his head in the sand. He can read the standing as closely as the next guy. He can feel the buzz building in the city, country and throughout Major League Baseball. And he knows that the Jays have earned the status of pushing general manager Ross Atkins to be an aggressive buyer as next Thursday's deadline rapidly approaches. Article content 'I just think it's cool that we've put ourselves in that position where other people talk about us,' Springer said. 'I know it's not something that's talked about in here. I think guys love each other in here and what we've done so far. I guess (trade deadline talk) is just a byproduct of a lot of hard work and the good things that have come.' Article content When a team keeps winning like the Jays have – now 6-1 out of the All Star break after Thursday's big 11-4 victory over the Tigers in Detroit — it's easy to get excited about the possibilities. Article content 'It's on everybody's mind a little bit,' Jays shortstop Bo Bichette acknowledged during the Yankees series in Toronto earlier in the week. 'We've put ourselves in a position where we think that there should be things done to help us. Article content 'At the same time I think we're so confident in everybody in that room, honestly, that whatever happens we'll continue to come here and just try to win.' Article content Underlying the comments of Springer and Bichette is the expectation in a clubhouse of seeing the front office go if not all in, making additions that will enhance the potential associated with having the best record in the American League (61-42) on Friday. Article content If the Jays are to cement that status and parlay it into some post season success, there are roster needs, starting with a beefing up of the bullpen, especially with the uncertainty around Yimi Garcia's status. Starting depth has to be on Atkins' radar as does an impact bat to further add to the already dynamic Toronto offence.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
NHLPA pushes back after NHL says five acquitted players ineligible
Article content The five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team were acquitted in the high-profile London, Ont., sexual assault trial Thursday, but the jury is still out on whether or not they'll be able to resume their NHL careers. Article content A few hours after the judge's decision, the NHL said Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote would be ineligible to play while the league reviews the findings. Article content Article content The NHLPA responded that its players should 'have the opportunity to return to work.' Article content The players were found not guilty of all charges in an encounter with a woman in a hotel room seven years ago, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia ruled. Article content The NHL stated the allegations in the case were 'very disturbing,' even if not deemed criminal. The league also called the behaviour of the players 'unacceptable.' Article content 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings,' the statement read. 'While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.' Article content The NHLPA said ruling the players ineligible while the NHL further evaluates the case does not align with the terms of their collective bargaining agreement. Article content 'Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod were acquitted of all charges by Justice Carroccia of the Ontario Superior Court,' the NHLPA's statement read. 'After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA. Article content Article content 'We are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' Article content McLeod, Hart, Dube and Foote were active NHL players at the time of their 2024 arrests, which came days after all four players were granted leave from their clubs. Formenton, an Ottawa Senators draft pick, has not played in the NHL since 2022. Article content At the time of the incident in 2018, Formenton had played one NHL game, while Foote, McLeod and Dube had brief stints with their clubs' American Hockey League affiliates. Article content While the NHL's review is taking place, experts believe it's possible players will eventually return to the NHL ice. Article content Ann Pegoraro, a sport management professor at the University of Guelph, said the NHL has not often come down hard on cases of sexual assault or domestic violence. Article content She added that teams would evaluate whether the benefits of a player's talent outweigh the risks of fan backlash and potential loss of sponsors. Article content 'Hockey has a very different culture and has a lot more, I would say, latitude in the way that they look at individuals' personal behaviours,' Pegoraro said. 'Do I think they'll end up back on teams? I think if their skills are good enough, some teams _ not all teams — but some teams will look the other way and put them back on rosters if they can contribute to the team.'
