Former Vancouver Canucks owner John McCaw Jr. contended that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice didn’t have the right to make him testify in Steve Moore’s $38 million lawsuit against the Canucks and Todd Bertuzzi. Ronald Dash, who is a case-management master, disagreed.
“(McCaw) was the person at the top of the organization and ultimately responsible for the actions of management and for either setting the corporate culture of the organization or delegating the responsibility to others,” Dash wrote, according to the Canadian Press.
McCaw Jr. also claims that he doesn’t have material evidence to offer, but Dash feels that there are relevant questions that the defense can raise.
“Did (McCaw) encourage retribution against Moore?” Dash wrote. “Alternatively, did he take steps to ‘turn down the temperature’ by directing management to take steps to prevent retaliation?”
Dash has consequently ordered McCaw, who lives in Seattle, to testify in the case via video. The trial is scheduled to begin in September.
This comes after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly “indicated a willingness to participate as required.”
McCaw has agreed to pay half of any judgment in Moore’s favor. The Canucks were sold to the Aquilini family in 2007.
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Steve Moore remains shocked, disgusted about Todd Bertuzzi attack