Lakelad Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 . 'Tiger' Williams charged with sexual assault during military flight Former hockey great has been a regular player in celebrity ball hockey games with troops overseas Fri Feb 09, 2018 - CBC News By Murray Brewster Former NHL star Dave "Tiger" Williams has been charged by military police with sexual assault in connection with an incident that took place aboard an air force flight. National Defence released a brief statement Friday, saying Williams was taking part in a morale visit to the Canadian contingent in Latvia just before Christmas. The alleged victim was another passenger on the flight and reported the incident while they were en route. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is not saying whether the alleged victim was a man or a woman. Williams, who played in the NHL from 1974 to 1988, is facing one count of sexual assault under the Criminal Code and one count of common assault. Officials at the Department of National Defence say the case will be handed over to a civilian Crown prosecutor in Ottawa for consideration. Military police were the lead in this instance because they have jurisdiction over all defence establishments, including aircraft. Williams has been a regular on military morale tours, travelling to Afghanistan to play celebrity ball hockey games against troops when they were deployed. The charges against him come at a time when the military has been cracking down on sexual assault and misconduct among its own members. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 "The charges against him come at a time when the military has been cracking down on sexual assault and misconduct among its own members." From my perspective, the message that lies between the lines says the policy makers have directed the military police to take a 'charge first and let the lawyers sort it out' approach whenever a hint of sexual impropriety exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 It’s called Operation Honour. And they are VERY serious about it. http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-support-services/op-honour-about.page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I believe we've got to be careful with this sort of approach to crime prevention. Policy crafted in the name of political correctness has, can and will lead to overcharging, which should never be allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpperDeck Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 2 hours ago, DEFCON said: I believe we've got to be careful with this sort of approach to crime prevention. Policy crafted in the name of political correctness has, can and will lead to overcharging, which should never be allowed. Forgive me...not chiming in just to chime in but....overcharging has been a fact of life since I first entered a court room. That and multiple charges arising out of the same occurrence ( notwithstanding Kienapple (sp?) ) are a fact of life for accused persons in Canada and the US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I'm sorry, I thought I was clear? I was attempting to describe the effect 'policy' has on 'police' investigations, not the strategy a crown prosecutor might employ to enhance his bargaining position, or chance of success in the courtroom. Let's see if an example helps. One of our provincial police groups follow a policy that assumes someone must be guilty of an offence of some sort whenever a motor vehicle accident occurs, which leads to charges regardless of the strength of supporting evidence. This is the form of 'overcharging' I was referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakelad Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 . Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams flew home on military jet after alleged sex assault; accuser flew commercial Wed Feb 14, 2018 - Global News By Amanda Connolly Dave “Tiger” Williams flew back to Canada from Latvia in December on a military jet after a steward on the same trip accused him of sexual assault and assault on the flight over. The alleged victim flew commercial. On Feb. 9, the military confirmed that the former Toronto Maple Leafs professional hockey player had been charged by military police with one count of sexual assault and one count of assault following an incident on-board the military’s 200-seat Polaris jet in which he allegedly sexually assaulted a military steward. He was released on the condition that he does not consume alcohol and that he has no contact with the alleged victim. A source had told Global News that several other stewards on-board the aircraft refused to board the plane for the return flight if Williams was on-board but the military would not confirm that at the time. Now, the military has confirmed that the alleged victim and an undisclosed number of others were flown home separately while Williams returned to Canada on the military plane. He was also allowed to play a hockey game in Latvia because “he was not charged at the time.” “The victim was subsequently offered – and accepted – the option to return home on a civilian flight accompanied by others. This was done so that we could distance the victim from the accused and to ensure they can receive the requisite support, as applicable,” said Daniel Le Bouthillier, spokesperson for the Department of National Defence. “The accused was allowed to continue on with the rest of the group to ensure sufficient distance from the victim, noting as well that he was not charged at the time and it was a fluid situation.” The Canadian embassy in Latvia posted photos of the game Williams took part in during the trip, which raised questions about why Williams was allowed to continue in the activities of the trip despite the allegations — as well as when exactly senior military officials became aware of the complaint. The alleged victim filed the complaint to the supervisor for the military stewards, which officials said did not include the senior military leaders on-board the plane at the time; namely, Vice-Chief of Defence Staff Alain Parent. Officials said Parent was not aware of the incident at the time it allegedly happened. Le Bouthillier said the military would not be releasing a complete passenger manifesto detailing which senior military officials were on-board the aircraft. “The bottom line is that we took care of the victim with respect and dignity, while dealing with the accused through a thorough and expedient police investigation.” While military police laid the charges, Williams will be processed through the civilian court system in Ottawa. According to military officials, charges were laid by military police before a judge on Wednesday without Williams being present. He was made aware of those charges and was ordered to report for arrest to the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service on Friday, which he did. He was then released with conditions applied by the civilian court that prevent him from contacting the alleged victim or consuming alcohol while he is released. Williams, 64, was taking part in a visit to Canadian troops deployed to Latvia as part of Operation Reassurance, a NATO mission meant to deter Russian aggression in Eastern and Central Europe following its annexation of Crimea. The military regularly brings individuals such as Canadian actors, athletes or comedians to take part in holiday morale tours. First drafted in 1974 by the NHL out of Swift Current, Sask., Williams played seven seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs before going on to join the Vancouver Canucks, the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings and the Hartford Whalers. He retired in 1988 but has remained a prominent ambassador for the Maple Leafs in the decades since. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakelad Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 . Peeing in the seats? Military eyes air force alcohol ban after troubled VIP trip A pre-Christmas trip of sports stars and senior military personnel was supposed to boost the morale of overseas troops. Instead, the trip to Athens has led to an allegation of assault and complaints of drunken, boorish behaviour. Fri., Feb. 16, 2018 - Toronto Star By Bruce Campion-Smith OTTAWA—It was meant as a pre-Christmas morale booster, a trip by sports stars and senior military personnel to visit Canadian soldiers deployed overseas. But the troubles started even before the military Airbus aircraft got off the ground in Ottawa when several of the passengers showed up for the 1 p.m. departure and appeared to have already been drinking. It went downhill from there. By the time the jet arrived in Athens more than eight hours later, there was an allegation of assault against a former Maple Leafs star and complaints of drunken, boorish behaviour by others, including two people so drunk they wet themselves in their seats. As the fallout of the ill-fated December tour continues to ripple, the military has cancelled plans for a March morale visit and is reviewing its policies for alcohol consumption onboard military aircraft. Past goodwill tours have included entertainers, athletes and media figures who donate their time to visit soldiers overseas. But this most recent tour has left military brass shaking their heads. Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, is said to be “extremely unhappy.” “We’ve never seen anything like this,” one astonished defence official told the Star. The Star has spoken to several defence department officials about what unfolded on the trip. They asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information and an ongoing internal investigation by the Royal Canadian Air Force. One of the stars on this tour was Dave “Tiger” Williams, a former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer and a regular participant on these goodwill visits. The military has refused to identify who else travelled with the contingent. The trips are organized by the Strategic Outreach Team, which reports to Vance’s office. Vance has gone on these Team Canada trips in the past but skipped this one because of a scheduling conflict. Two senior personnel went in his place — Lt.-Gen. Alain Parent, the vice chief of defence staff, and Chief Warrant Officer Kevin West, the most senior non-commissioned member of the Canadian Armed Forces. Military flights usually have strict policies regarding the consumption of alcohol. But those rules are relaxed when civilians are carried onboard. On Team Canada flights, a small amount of alcohol is provided by the military, and participants are also allowed to bring their own for consumption during the trip, which often involves lengthy overseas flights. That was the case for this most recent tour, which departed Ottawa on Dec. 2, headed first to Athens, Greece to meet up with the crew of the frigate HMCS Charlottetown, then on deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. But several members of the tour who showed up for the mid-day departure had already been drinking, one source familiar with events told the Star. “They showed up with their own alcohol, and they were already inebriated,” the source said. Once airborne, there was a “bit of a party going on,” the source said, with yet more drinking by a small group gathered at the back of the cabin. One passenger invited a female steward to “sit on his lap,” the source said. Another passenger tried to wrap his arm around a female steward. “They were grabbed like they were in a bar,” the source said, making the woman feel “uncomfortable.” Two passengers were so intoxicated that they urinated in their seats. And yet another is alleged to have sworn at a steward. It was during this flight to Athens — not the later leg to Latvia, contrary to earlier information provided by the military — that Williams is alleged to have assaulted a female steward. His lawyer, Michael Lacy, said in an earlier statement, that military police allege that Williams touched the victim on the buttocks. Following their troop visit in Greece, the goodwill tour continued to Riga, Latvia — that flight too had a “lot of partying,” the source said. “Tiger denies any wrongdoing and is confident he will be vindicated,” . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 I remember seeing the damage and debris on Air Canada aircraft after an NHL Hockey charter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 CWO West, who was on the flight, addressing some senior ranks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QFE Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 On 17/02/2018 at 1:36 AM, Fido said: I remember seeing the damage and debris on Air Canada aircraft after an NHL Hockey charter. Having done many ( sometimes my whole month schedule ) NHL charters I never had any damage done to the airplane. Lots of debris, however, I've seen worse on sked flights. It was usually a midnight departure after the game, the players were fed and it was goodnight. One Toronto coach even had a "no win-no booze" policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 You want to see animals/Press ??? Try taking an aircraft over at the gate that just hauled a political party leader and his entourage "up front" and the Press in the rear,(economy). The Press were the most uncouth individuals I have ever encountered and their regard for civility was beyond gross...... Garbage all over the floor, hotel room keys duct taped to the ceilings, condoms taped to the windows, empty booze bottles on the floor etc....and none of us had smart phones, (cameras) at the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDR Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 On 2/16/2018 at 10:36 PM, Fido said: I remember seeing the damage and debris on Air Canada aircraft after an NHL Hockey charter. I just can't let that go by. I did numerous NHL charters and never had a hint of a problem. The cabins were like they were after any other trip, and they treated the crew with respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 My experience was the same on several trips with the Leafs, Senators, Blackhawks and the Blue Jays too. Very respectful and friendly too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Your anecdotal experience does not match with the reports that I read as part of my job and the experience of seeing the busted seats, foot prints on the walls and overhead bins, the entertainment system that needed replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I saw footprints left on the wall from our Transport Minister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEFCON Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I did many dozens of trips with NHL teams and only had a problem with behaviour once. We were moving the Quebec Nordiques around the US and they weren't doing well. They had just lost to Chicago and we were now enroute St. Louis; the team was in a particularly rowdy mood. During the flight someone thought it would be funny to stuff the lav system full of bananas and milk cartons, which delayed the outbound flight the next night substantially until the plug could be cleared. Try to find maintenance at midnight on a Saturday evening in St. Louis; I ended up paying one of the ground crew a $100 to 'glove up' with green garbage bags and stick his arm deep up into the plumbing from the outside and free the jam. Upper Decks wife was one of the FA's on that trip. Normally, all was calm aboard before and after games; the cabin often looked more like a Mash unit than anything else following a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boestar Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Worst one I ever saw was a Raptors charter. The interior was destroyed and the F/As said they would never do another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Worst I saw was after a Progressive Conservative charter when Stephen Harper was on the campaign trail. The media riding in the back turned the cabin into a shambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 39 minutes ago, conehead said: Worst I saw was after a Progressive Conservative charter when Stephen Harper was on the campaign trail. The media riding in the back turned the cabin into a shambles. Damn Liberal Media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakelad Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 . Booze-fuelled military flights spark calls for change Military insiders– unhappy with the behaviour seen on VIP flights to visit troops overseas -- are asking questions and demanding changes. Mon., Feb. 19, 2018 - Toronto Star By Bruce Campion-Smith OTTAWA—“Party Bus” and “Mardi Gras at 35,000 feet” are a couple of the nicknames given to the military Airbus flights that fly entertainers, musicians and media stars overseas for morale-raising visits with deployed soldiers. New questions are being raised about the booze-fuelled VIP trips and the oversight of senior commanders. Former Maple Leafs player Dave “Tiger” Williams was charged with assault and sexual assault this month after a goodwill trip last December for alleged incidents involving a female flight attendant. On that same trip, two passengers wet themselves and several complaints were made over inappropriate behaviour. Military insiders, unhappy with the behaviour seen on these tours, are asking questions and demanding changes. Why was a passenger allowed to bring a 40-ounce bottle of alcohol on board the military jet in Ottawa for the December flight when travellers are forbidden from carrying liquids on commercial flights? Military flights depart from the Canada Reception Centre, but passengers typically still have to go through security screening. Why were passengers allowed to chew tobacco in the cabin when regular soldiers returning from tours of duty abroad are disciplined for the same behaviour? In this case, flight attendants were expressly told not to stop the passengers from chewing tobacco. Beer cans used for tobacco spit were left “all over the plane.” “That’s hypocritical beyond words,” one source said. Why were several apparently inebriated passengers allowed to board in Ottawa on Dec. 2, when airlines typically ban intoxicated travellers from boarding their flights? Senior commanders have yet to speak about the December trip and military spokespersons have been guarded in their comments so far, citing the criminal charges against Williams and an ongoing internal investigation. But military and defence department sources, talking to the Star on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly and because they fear retribution, are speaking out about these Team Canada trips. They paint a picture of overseas flights that feature heavy drinking and a disregard for military rules and even the aviation regulations that govern passengers who fly commercial flights. “Flight attendants were told last October that on VIP flights, passengers get whatever they want, rules do not apply,” one source said. While the December trip is in the spotlight, sources tell the Star that the tours — run for the past 12 years — have always been known for excessive drinking and a party atmosphere where sometimes passengers pass out or vomit after drinking too much. Flight attendants who join the Trenton-based squadron that operates the fleet of Airbus aircraft have been told that the Team Canada flights are fun, but they can expect the passengers to be “handsy” and that “they’ll be all over you,” one source said. Sources say that not all flight attendants who work on these flights have been formally trained to serve alcohol or to recognize the signs of inebriation. And although the flight was not tame, one source told the Star the “vast majority” of passengers were well-behaved. The military has refused to say who was part of the VIP contingent for the December tour. '“It was like a discotheque in there.' . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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