Woman who filed lawsuit against Hockey Canada says through attorney she wants to ‘set the record straight’

The woman, who said she was sexually assaulted after a Hockey Canada gala in 2018, provided a timeline of her interactions with London police on Tuesday to “set the record straight,” refuting previous reports – and a statement from Hockey Canada — who claimed she had not cooperated with local officials, according to a statement released by her attorney.

In the statement, which was sent to Sportsnet, Robert Talach wrote that the woman had complied with requests to “participate in the reopened Hockey Canada internal review and a re-investigation by London Police.” In addition to providing Hockey Canada and the NHL with a “comprehensive written statement” last month, she has continued to cooperate with London Police and voluntarily underwent a polygraph exam ordered by Talach’s office, the results of which returned a rating of “truthful.” and were sent to all three investigative parties.

Talach said his client spoke to a detective at London Police Station on the morning of June 22, 2018 and underwent a physical examination at a hospital the same day. He said she also provided her clothes from the evening as evidence and met with officers again on June 26, 2018 and August 31, 2018.

A statement from Hockey Canada initially suggested the woman had not spoken to police. Hockey Canada’s Tom Renney later corrected the testimony during his June 20, 2022 testimony before the Canadian Heritage Standing Committee.

“She made it clear to London Police as early as June 24, 2018 that she wanted prosecution,” Talach wrote. On February 6, 2019, the woman was told “no charges would be filed.”

When asked by Sportsnet, London Police said: “As this is now an active criminal investigation we are unable to discuss the matter further. The relevant information will be shared once the investigation is complete.”

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous and is identified as EM in her lawsuit filed in April, spoke to Robyn Doolittle about the globe and mail in a story published Tuesday morning – the first time the public has heard of her directly from the media.

In the piece, EM told Doolittle that she has felt “vulnerable and exposed” since news of the allegations broke in May following the settlement of her civil lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the CHL and eight unnamed players.

She told Doolittle she never wanted to draw attention to the case and that she “just wanted consequences for actions and some accountability.”

The article includes reports that EM will not “sit for an interview with Hockey Canada or NHL investigators” but, according to Talach, “has provided an eight-page statement with an additional five pages of photos and 4½ pages of text messages.” “

“She has already started civil proceedings and has spoken to police on several occasions,” Talach told Doolittle. “I mean, how often does she have to do that?”

Last week, Danielle Robitaille, of the Henein Hutchison law firm, hired by Hockey Canada to conduct the organization’s third-party investigation in 2018, told Parliament during a Hockey Canada hearing that she had received a statement from the woman and was prepared to act to move forward investigation resumed.

support for survivors
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and needs support, you can find province-specific centers, hotlines and services in Canada here. A list of resources and references is provided for readers in America here.

Talach’s testimony reads in full as follows:

“Within a day of leaving the hotel room, the London Police Service was notified and investigating. After initial investigation, she spoke to a detective at the police station on the morning of June 22, 2018. On the same day she underwent a physical examination at a hospital. She later provided her attire from the evening as evidence. She made it clear to the London police on June 24, 2018 that she wanted to file a criminal complaint. She met with officers again on June 26, 2018 and June 26, 2018 August 31, 2018. After more than seven months had passed after the incident, she was told on February 6, 2019 that no charges would be filed. Previous media reports that she did not contact or cooperate with the police were inaccurate.

“After a period of reflection, she next pursued the matter through the formality of the civil justice system in the form of a lawsuit. This lawsuit was initiated on April 20, 2022 and ended on May 24, 2022.

“Although she has now commenced both criminal and civil proceedings, she has been asked to take part in the reopened Hockey Canada internal review and a re-inquiry by London Police. She complied with these requests. She provided Hockey Canada with a comprehensive written statement on July 21. 2022 and the following day to the National Hockey League. She has continued to work with London Police. Most recently, she voluntarily submitted to a lie detector test ordered by that agency regarding her testimony about the incident. She successfully passed this “lie detector test” with a score of “truthful.” The test result and report were made available to London Police, Hockey Canada Review and NHL investigators.

“This woman has fully cooperated and cooperated with all legal and formal investigations related to these events. We ask that their privacy continue to be respected and thank the Canadian public for their concern.”

– with files from Sportsnet’s Paul D. Grant