Why the players were acquitted in the Hockey Canada trial
The Hockey Canada case has captivated the country — raising complex questions about consent, hockey culture and even how sports organizations handle accusations of assault. Globe reporter Robyn Doolittle has been covering the story since it first became public in 2022. She was in the courtroom for the verdict and joins The Decibel from London, Ontario, to explain how the judge arrived at her conclusion.
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com
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Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
GUNTER: Cancel culture dealt a blow with Hockey Canada sex assault trial verdict
The courtroom is shown in this sketch from London, Ont., as Justice Maria Carroccia delivers her ruling in the sexual assault trial for five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team, on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Photo by Alexandra Newbould / The Canadian Press '#MeToo changed our culture, but it couldn't change our courts.' 'No justice for the victim.' 'Survivors of sexual assault need our understanding, not courts deaf to their complaints.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Those and many, many other headlines and ledes blared out Friday that, in one form or the other, the woman known only as 'E.M.,' who had alleged five Hockey Canada junior players had gang assaulted her in 2018, had been let down by the justice system or even wronged by it. But the decision brought down Thursday by Justice Maria Carroccia in a London, Ontario courtroom — all five defendants were 'not guilty' — makes me thankful the #MeToo movement didn't change our courts. For a time, at the movement's height in 2018, being accused of sexual misconduct by a MeToo follower was enough to end the career of any man accused of harassment or unwanted advances. No evidence was needed, no trials were held. To be sure, lots of pigs guilty of real crimes got outed — deservedly. Movie producer Harvey Weinstein was one. In 2021 and 2022, Weinstein was found guilty in both New York and Los Angeles of five counts of rape for forcing young starlets to have sex with him in return for roles in his movies. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More Other abusers, who had gotten away with coerced or non-consensual sexual behaviour for years, saw their reigns of terror ended. Good. And I do think the movement has made men, especially those in positions of power, rethink their behaviour towards female underlings. Another good. But because social media and cancel culture were the juries that decided which men tarred with the MeToo brush were worthy of punishment (indeed the term 'cancel culture' evolved in lockstep with MeToo) a lot of men lost their careers as the result of a tweet (or two million tweets). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Actual courts have to concern themselves with little matters such as evidence, due process and reasonable doubt. But not online lynch mobs. While office romances were once common, most large companies now have policies preventing bosses (male or female) from 'fraternizing' with employees. Data company Astronomer has just such a policy that, if followed, would have saved CEO Andy Byron and HR executive Kristin Cabot the humiliation of having their extramarital affair exposed to the world on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert outside Boston last week. We've forgotten the concept of innocent until proven guilty, too. In the Hockey Canada trial, E.M. levelled serious allegations against five players who were playing professionally at the time. When police first investigated her claim, they found it insufficient to arrest the quintet. A second look that included the Ontario Crown attorney Office came to much the same conclusion. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But when media and politicians took an interest, charges were laid, the players were suspended from their teams and dragged through nearly three years of legal proceedings. Were the sex acts they committed with and to E.M. reprehensible? Without a doubt, even if they were consensual. But were they criminal? Not according to Justice Carroccia, who before being appointed was one of the most experienced criminal lawyers in Ontario and who, since joining the bench in 2020, has presided over at least two other complex sexual assault trials. She decided one for the Crown and one for the defendant. Yet thousands of advocates and activists are enraged by her ruling and have promised to fight for justice for E.M. They find E.M.'s telling of events authentic in part, I think, because activists over the last 20 years or more have convinced themselves women never lie about assault. At the very least, they are sure a woman's version is always the whole truth. Justice Carroccia didn't see it that way. After listening to more than seven weeks of testimony, the judge found E.M.'s version lacked credibility. But the response of women's groups and E.M.'s fans has been, essentially, 'We didn't get the outcome we wanted, so the system most be broken.' In this case it worked as it should, unlike the 'rough justice' demanded by the mob. Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Columnists Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA
Edmonton Journal
4 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Lorne Gunter: Cancel culture dealt a blow with Hockey Canada sex assault trial verdict
'#MeToo changed our culture, but it couldn't change our courts.' 'No justice for the victim.' 'Survivors of sexual assault need our understanding, not courts deaf to their complaints.' Article content Those and many, many other headlines and ledes blared out Friday that, in one form or the other, the woman known only as 'E.M.,' who had alleged five Hockey Canada junior players had gang assaulted her in 2018, had been let down by the justice system or even wronged by it. Article content Article content Article content To be sure, lots of pigs guilty of real crimes got outed — deservedly. Movie producer Harvey Weinstein was one. In 2021 and 2022, Weinstein was found guilty in both New York and Los Angeles of five counts of rape for forcing young starlets to have sex with him in return for roles in his movies. Article content Other abusers, who had gotten away with coerced or non-consensual sexual behaviour for years, saw their reigns of terror ended. Good. Article content Article content And I do think the movement has made men, especially those in positions of power, rethink their behaviour towards female underlings. Another good. Article content Article content But because social media and cancel culture were the juries that decided which men tarred with the MeToo brush were worthy of punishment (indeed the term 'cancel culture' evolved in lockstep with MeToo) a lot of men lost their careers as the result of a tweet (or two million tweets). Article content Actual courts have to concern themselves with little matters such as evidence, due process and reasonable doubt. But not online lynch mobs. Article content While office romances were once common, most large companies now have policies preventing bosses (male or female) from 'fraternizing' with employees. Data company Astronomer has just such a policy that, if followed, would have saved CEO Andy Byron and HR executive Kristin Cabot the humiliation of having their extramarital affair exposed to the world on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert outside Boston last week.
Toronto Star
5 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Anatomy of an acquittal: How the Hockey Canada sexual assault case fell apart
All five players were found not guilty of all charges in the Hockey Canada trial. Nicole Osborne THE CANADIAN PRES
