PDO
1-17-06, 4:46 PM
Doan demands retraction
Shane Doan is seeking $250,000 in moral and punitive damages, which he will donate to charity.
MONTREAL (CP) -- Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan filed a lawsuit against Liberal MP Denis Coderre on Tuesday, alleging the former sports minister falsely accused him of making a slur against francophones during an NHL game.
Doan also demanded that Coderre make a public retraction in the motion filed in Quebec superior court.
Coderre had asked Hockey Canada in a letter on Dec. 22 to expel Doan from Canada's Olympic hockey team unless he apologized for reportedly uttering an ethnic slur to referee Stephane Auger at the end of a Dec. 13 game between the Coyotes and the Montreal Canadiens. Copies of the letter were released to the media.
Doan denied making the remark and an investigation by the NHL found no evidence that he used an ethnic slur.
The motion said Doan was seeking reparations for damages to his reputation over "false and defamatory" remarks made by Coderre, both in his letter to Hockey Canada and to the media.
The player asked for $200,000 in moral damages and $50,000 in punitive damages. The motion said Doan, who is earning $3 million US this season, would donate any money he is awarded to charity.
Coderre could not immediately be reached for comment.
In an affidavit attached to the motion, Doan said he "did not make any comment that could be construed as derogatory toward French-speaking people during the hockey game.
"Such remarks are completely incompatible with the values I espouse as both a hockey player and a proud Canadian."
Doan, from Halkirk, Alta., was given a misconduct penalty by Auger for verbal abuse of the officials at the end of the game won by Montreal at the Bell Centre. Both referees and both linesmen for the game were francophones.
Coderre repeated the alleged ethnic slur in his letter to Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson, a copy of which was sent to Canadian Olympic Committee president Mike Chambers.
In his letter, Coderre said that Doan "has not only insulted our country's francophones, but the vast majority of Canadians."
Chambers concluded there was no evidence Doan made the remark and said he was told it may have been made by another player on the ice.
Doan made a formal request to Coderre on Dec. 23 that he retract his statements within 10 days.
Good for Doan, I hope he wins. Pathetic move by Coderre, and I hope that any sort of reputation he has is absolutely roasted over this.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060117_143324_5164
Shane Doan is seeking $250,000 in moral and punitive damages, which he will donate to charity.
MONTREAL (CP) -- Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan filed a lawsuit against Liberal MP Denis Coderre on Tuesday, alleging the former sports minister falsely accused him of making a slur against francophones during an NHL game.
Doan also demanded that Coderre make a public retraction in the motion filed in Quebec superior court.
Coderre had asked Hockey Canada in a letter on Dec. 22 to expel Doan from Canada's Olympic hockey team unless he apologized for reportedly uttering an ethnic slur to referee Stephane Auger at the end of a Dec. 13 game between the Coyotes and the Montreal Canadiens. Copies of the letter were released to the media.
Doan denied making the remark and an investigation by the NHL found no evidence that he used an ethnic slur.
The motion said Doan was seeking reparations for damages to his reputation over "false and defamatory" remarks made by Coderre, both in his letter to Hockey Canada and to the media.
The player asked for $200,000 in moral damages and $50,000 in punitive damages. The motion said Doan, who is earning $3 million US this season, would donate any money he is awarded to charity.
Coderre could not immediately be reached for comment.
In an affidavit attached to the motion, Doan said he "did not make any comment that could be construed as derogatory toward French-speaking people during the hockey game.
"Such remarks are completely incompatible with the values I espouse as both a hockey player and a proud Canadian."
Doan, from Halkirk, Alta., was given a misconduct penalty by Auger for verbal abuse of the officials at the end of the game won by Montreal at the Bell Centre. Both referees and both linesmen for the game were francophones.
Coderre repeated the alleged ethnic slur in his letter to Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson, a copy of which was sent to Canadian Olympic Committee president Mike Chambers.
In his letter, Coderre said that Doan "has not only insulted our country's francophones, but the vast majority of Canadians."
Chambers concluded there was no evidence Doan made the remark and said he was told it may have been made by another player on the ice.
Doan made a formal request to Coderre on Dec. 23 that he retract his statements within 10 days.
Good for Doan, I hope he wins. Pathetic move by Coderre, and I hope that any sort of reputation he has is absolutely roasted over this.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060117_143324_5164