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CBC
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Closing arguments in Toronto councillor sexual assault trial focus on credibility of witnesses, accused
The sexual assault trial of Toronto councillor Michael Thompson resumed for its final day of closing arguments with both his lawyer and the Crown attorney prosecuting him accusing each other of presenting false, agenda-driven narratives about a cottage trip involving the former deputy mayor and multiple women. The two sides presented their closing arguments in the judge-alone trial at a court in Bradford, Ont., where Thompson is facing two charges of sexual assault for alleged incidents involving two women at a Muskoka cottage over Canada Day weekend in 2022. One woman previously testified that Thompson touched her inappropriately while applying sunscreen, while the other said he forced himself on her in the middle of the night. Thompson has pleaded not guilty to both charges. Thompson's lawyer, Leora Shemesh, argued in her closing statement that the Crown's witnesses — the two complainants and a third woman present at the cottage that weekend — were not credible or consistent in what they told the court and police. The identities of the witness and two complainants are protected by a court-ordered publication ban. Defence lawyer argues women conspired to make up allegations Shemesh argued the three women conspired to fabricate allegations against Thompson. She said there were inconsistencies in their stories, including when the witness and second complainant said they were told specifics about the alleged molestation of the first complainant, though the first complainant later testified those discussions never happened. "That should be the title of this script: Me Too, even though it's untrue," Shemesh told the court. "This was a witch hunt for Mr. Thompson and it was, and is, painfully obvious." Shemesh said the second complainant also couldn't remember whether Thompson had put his penis in her mouth when he allegedly forced himself on her, and the morning after, they had breakfast together and cleaned up as if nothing had happened. "The truth is not difficult, but to perpetuate and participate in a lie is difficult," she said. Shemesh also said the Crown repeatedly used objections to shield witnesses from tough questions. While Shemesh said it isn't the defence's responsibility to explain a motive for the women to lie, she argued the witness had been upset after she'd asked Thompson for financial help with her schooling, and he declined. Shemesh called her an "opportunist." Crown argues Thompson was inconsistent In her closing argument for the prosecution, Crown attorney Mareike Newhouse argued the women hadn't colluded, saying the second complainant went to the police alone, and the other two women were notified about her accusation by the authorities. The Crown witness and both complainants were compelling in their testimonies, Newhouse said, and honest errors of memory are possible. "That would actually be suspicious, I would suggest, if they were perfectly consistent with each other, if there were no differences or inconsistencies across evidence," Newhouse said. Newhouse said it was Thompson who had his own agenda during the trial, being more concerned with "the image he was displaying of himself in court than telling the truth." Newhouse argued Thompson was repetitive and rehearsed when speaking to the court, and exaggerated stories that put him in a positive light. She also said Thompson's testimony was inconsistent. He described to the court a weekend full of alcohol and cannabis, Newhouse noted, but also said no one ever appeared intoxicated. All three women told the court they'd experienced some level of intoxication, with one complainant saying she was so drunk she dropped a bottle in the lake and didn't remember where she'd fallen asleep. The defence had also argued that the witness's mood had soured after Thompson rebuffed her request for money, Newhouse said, but when Thompson had been asked on the stand whether anyone appeared uncomfortable at any point over the Canada Day weekend, he had said no. A court date for judgment in the case has been set for Sept. 16 in Midland, Ont.
CBC
14-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Awaiting sex crimes trials, billionaire Frank Stronach in Austria for a TV appearance
Social Sharing On June 5, Canadian billionaire Frank Stronach was doing what has preoccupied him for years: hawking his economic ideas in front of the camera. But this was not one of his regular speeches at his Aurora, Ont., restaurant or at some Canadian business gala. The 92-year-old, who is to stand trial in Toronto and Newmarket, Ont., next year for more than a dozen alleged sex crimes, gave his economic stump speech an ocean away, in Austria, on a current affairs news program. Stronach, who had to surrender his passport to the courts when he was arrested in June 2024, has been in the country of his birth for three weeks, CBC News has learned. Court documents obtained by CBC News show that Stronach's bail conditions were quietly altered on May 21, granting him the return of his passport and ability to travel from May 24 to June 14. The section of the document set aside to provide reasons why a bail condition should be changed contains only a single sentence with no further explanation: "To allow Mr. Stronach to travel to Austria." The change to Stronach's bail conditions, which were requested by his Toronto lawyer, Leora Shemesh, was approved by assistant Crown attorney Jelena Vlacic. The alteration did not require a hearing before a judge, because the Crown did not object. Vlacic confirmed in an interview that she consented to the change. "I'm not in a position to sort of make any comments," she said when asked why she agreed. Not unusual to grant passport request: lawyer Although Stronach was required to surrender his passport last year, his bail conditions do not mention any other restrictions on travel, a common feature, said Ottawa criminal lawyer Michael Spratt. "Bail is not intended to be punitive," he told CBC News in a Friday interview. "An accused person is presumed innocent." Spratt said the primary reason a court orders the surrender of a passport is to prevent an accused person from fleeing the country. While someone of Stronach's wealth has the means to leave, Spratt said that is not the only consideration at hand. "If someone, say, suddenly moved a lot of assets into that country, or bought a home there, or bought a one-way ticket to a country that doesn't have an extradition treaty, the Crown might take a much harder look at that," said Spratt, who is not part of the Stronach case. If those sorts of conditions don't exist, the Crown is likely to grant the return of a passport, he said. Spratt said in a case like Stronach's, where a high-profile person is facing multiple criminal charges, the release of a passport will raise some eyebrows. But it is not unusual for such a request to be granted. Shemesh, in an emailed statement to CBC News, said the paperwork was a "formality." "He is presumed innocent. He has no criminal record. He maintains his innocence and enjoys the same freedoms we all do." 'A disappointing double standard for wealthy' Stronach is a well-known political and business figure in Austria. Aside from the fame and wealth he garnered from leading the Ontario-based auto-parts giant Magna for decades, he once ran his own political party in Austria. Called Team Stronach, the party had limited electoral success in 2013 but was a thing of the past by 2014. He surrendered his passport at the courthouse in Brampton, Ont., on June 7, 2024. Stronach, 91 at the time, was arrested and charged with sexual assault, rape and forcible confinement in cases involving 10 women dating back decades. By October 2024, his charge sheet ballooned to 18 criminal counts. Stronach has denied all of the charges against him, calling the allegations made by the women "lies." He now faces two trials. Twelve of the charges against him will be heard in a Toronto courtroom starting on Nov. 16, 2026. The remaining charges will be tried in York Region, with a jury trial scheduled to begin on June 1, 2026. CBC News reached out to several of the women who allege Stronach assaulted them. They declined to comment or could not be reached on Friday. "I'm baffled by Frank Stronach's presence in Austria. It was reported that he had surrendered his passport," said Jane Boon, a former Magna intern who says she had a sexual encounter with Stronach in 1986, when she was 19 and he was 54. Last year, Boon spoke to Fifth Estate reporter Mark Kelley about her uncomfortable sexual experience with Stronach, which is not part of any of the criminal cases the former auto-parts magnate is facing. "It was a horrible abuse of power," she told Kelley. "This extravagant trip suggests a disappointing double standard for wealthy defendants of serious crimes," she said Friday of Stronach's recent trip to Austria. However, Spratt said it is not uncommon for passports to be returned to people facing a criminal trial. Sometimes it is for a medical or family emergency, he said, and other times for something as simple as a vacation. Requests to change bail are also common in high-profile cases, including sex crime trials. In January 2014, then-CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi faced seven sexual assault charges, for which he was later acquitted. He, too, had to surrender his passport, and his bail conditions required him to live with his mother. The Crown later agreed to modify his bail, which included the return of his passport. But former fashion mogul Peter Nygard, currently serving 11 years in prison after being found guilty of four counts of sexual assault, was denied changes to his bail in 2024 because a judge said he presented a flight risk.
CTV News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Cross-examination of Michael Thompson can continue in sex assault case: Judge
Toronto councillor Michael Thompson and his lawyer Leora Shemesh walk outside the courthouse in Barrie, Ont. Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mike Arsalides/ CTV News Barrie) A judge has ruled that the Crown can continue its cross examination of Coun. Michael Thompson in his sexual assault trial. Following some intense debate between Crown attorney Mareike Newhouse and Defence lawyer Leora Shemesh in a virtual court appearance Friday, Judge Phillip Brissette said he's satisfied that Newhouse can continue her cross-examination. The debate hinged on whether a woman who is a witness in the case, was being treated more like a complainant by the Crown, and whether questions about her were relevant to the case. Following hours of questioning Thursday, Newhouse incorrectly referred to the woman as a victim and said that Thompson had been 'trying to get in her pants.' Shemesh said Thursday that there was a strong chance she might bring a mistrial application over the matter. But after nearly 30 minutes of arguments Friday, that option appeared to have been laid aside. After Newhouse said she misspoke in referring to the witness as 'a victim' and clarified her line of questioning, Bisette said he was satisfied that she should be able to move forward. 'I'm certainly satisfied with the direction the Crown wants to go in terms of using this for general credibility and not linking it to any type of propensity or similar fact allegations,' he said. Thompson, a longtime city councillor and former deputy mayor, stands accused of sexually assaulting two women at a cottage getaway over the Canada Day long weekend in 2022. He denies the allegations. The trial will resume on May 29 when the cross examination of Thompson is expected to continue.
CTV News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Defence may seek mistrial in Coun. Michael Thompson's sex assault case
Toronto councillor Michael Thompson and his lawyer Leora Shemesh seen outside a court in Barrie on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mike Arsalides/CTV News Barrie)
CBC
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Toronto councillor denies any wrongdoing at sexual assault trial
A veteran Toronto councillor accused of sexually assaulting two women at an Ontario cottage in 2022 testified Wednesday that he never touched either complainant in the case and denied any assaults took place. Scarborough Coun. Michael Thompson returned to the witness box at his judge-alone trial in Barrie and gave his version of events for that Canada Day weekend, saying no one present was inebriated and nothing sexual took place. Responding to questions from his lawyer, Leora Shemesh, Thompson repeatedly said no when asked if he had sex with anyone, if he had pressured anyone to drink, or if he had invited guests along with any sort of hidden agenda. "Absolutely not," Thompson said. "I had no agenda." The sitting Scarborough councillor and former deputy mayor is facing two counts of sexual assault for alleged incidents between him and two women at the Muskoka cottage.
