Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'deeply disappointed' after Canadiens drafted Logan Mailloux
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "deeply disappointed" with the Montreal Canadiens' decision to draft Logan Mailloux, who was charged and fined in Sweden for sharing explicit sexual photos without the consent of the woman in the pictures.
"As a lifelong Habs fan, I have to say, I am deeply disappointed by the decision," Trudeau told reporters in Moncton N.B.
Mailloux, 18, from Belle River, Ont. was on loan from Ontario Hockey League's London Knights when the incident occurred late last year.
"He's a young man who made a serious mistake of judgment and we need to work with him and we did talk to him and he's very aware of that and very remorseful," said Canadiens' GM Marc Bergervin said after drafting the defenceman with the 31st pick in the first round of the NHL Draft.
BRAND DAMAGE AND SPONSOR FLIGHT?
Some Montreal Canadiens sponsors have said they're reviewing their relationship with the team after the selection of Mailloux.
Desjardins Group, a major Canadiens sponsor, contacted the team on Monday to "obtain an explanation and to share our discomfort with this decision," Valerie Lamarre, a spokeswoman for the credit union federation, wrote in an email.
Pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group also said it is "reviewing the situation."
Concordia University marketing professor Robert Soroka said the decision damages the Canadiens' storied brand.
"Brand equity is fragile at best, can be tarnished easily, and that could evenetually cost the Canadiens money," said Soroka. "There's going to companies who will not want to associate with the Canadiens brand."
OFF-ICE CHARACTER MATTERS
Bergevin and the Canadiens' statements, as well as Mailloux's apology in a Zoom news conference the day after he was selected did little to curb the criticism from many, who saw the Habs as placing on-ice skill far above off-ice behaviour.
"This move is extremely frustrating and upsetting, especially from a team and general manager that have spent the past decade harping on the importance of character. It’s clear that off-ice character is trumped by on-ice performance," said TSN 690 She's Got Game host Robyn Flynn.
Ryerson University's Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education consent educator Farrah Khan told CTV News on the weekend that it's important that Mailloux was open about his actions, and asked not to be drafted in a statement before the draft. However, the Habs picked him anyway, which Khan called disappointing, a sentiment the prime minister echoed on Tuesday.
"What was disappointing, was that his own opinions, own thoughts, weren't being respected by the team," said Khan. "If he's saying this, then why is this team saying, 'Oh, we want to draft you in the first draft.' That's something that I find really confusing."
Melanie Lemay of Quebec Against Sexual Violence said in drafting Mailloux the Habs were insulting fans while promoting a much more problematic attitude towards sexual violence.
"It enables sexual violence, and, at the same time, it's kind of giving us as fans a slap in the face when we reaalize, at the end, it's all about hockey in their eyes and they don't really care of the way it's going to be seen by society," said Lemay.
The selection of Mailloux has also been criticized by Isabelle Charest, Quebec's minister responsible for the status of women, as well as by groups that advocate for women who are victims of sexual violence.
Charest, who is also the province's deputy education minister responsible for sports, wrote Saturday that she was "surprised and disappointed by the Montreal Canadiens decision to draft Logan Mailloux despite his conviction for unacceptable acts."
Trudeau said the decision showed a lack of judgment on the part of the Canadiens organization.
"They have a lot of explaining to do to Montrealers and fans across the country," he said.
-- with files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.