Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Gwyneth Paltrow's lawyer called the story of a retired optometrist who is suing her over a 2016 ski collision "utter B.S." on Tuesday during the trial's opening day in Utah, where the actor-turned-lifestyle influencer appeared in court, and tried to shield herself from photographers' view with a notebook.
Paltrow and Terry Sanderson, the man suing her, sat across from each other in a Park City courtroom as their attorneys gave opening arguments detailing the crash. Both described their clients as victims and blamed the other for the 2016 crash at Deer Valley, one of the country's most upscale ski resorts.
The two showed little emotion as attorneys questioned their credibility. A sombre-looking Paltrow -- wearing a beige knit sweater, tweed harem pants and aviator-style reading glasses -- wrote in a blue "GP"-initialed notebook throughout the first day of the trial, which is set to last eight days.
Sanderson claims that Paltrow was cruising down the slopes so recklessly that they violently collided, leaving him on the ground as she and her entourage continued their descent down the skiers-only mountain known for its groomed runs, apres-ski champagne yurts and posh clientele.
"All skiers know that when they're skiing down the mountain, it's their responsibility to yield the right of way to skiers below them," Sanderson's attorney, Lawrence Buhler, told jurors, who -- unlike those selected for most trials -- walked into the courtroom smiling, likely because of their proximity to a major celebrity.
He highlighted Sanderson's military service record and appealed to the jury's sympathies describing the broken ribs and brain trauma he sustained during the crash. Drawing a contrast, Buhler described Paltrow as a wealthy, experienced skier who adopted a "So What?" attitude after the crash.
"She hires multiple ski instructors for her children, which allows them to skip the lines. Private instructors cost thousands of dollars per day," he said.
Paltrow and Sanderson both agree that they collided while on a beginner run seven years ago, yet both accuse the other of being at fault and skiing up behind them.
Sanderson is suing Paltrow for US$300,000 -- claiming that the accident in Park City was a result of negligence, and left him with physical injuries and emotional distress.
Park City is a resort town in the Rocky Mountains that hosts the Sundance Film Festival, which draws a throng of celebrities each year.
On ski slopes, Utah law gives the skier who is downhill the right of way, so a central question in the case is who was farther down the beginner's run when the collision transpired. Both Paltrow and Sanderson claim in court filings that they were farther downhill when the other rammed into them, causing their skis to intertwine and the two to tumble.
In opening arguments, both sides presented their clients as conservative skiers who were stunned when a skier above them crashed into them.
Paltrow's attorneys told jurors Tuesday that Sanderson was the one who crashed into her -- a collision in which she sustained what they called a "full body blow." Attorney Steve Owens noted that members of Paltrow's group checked on Sanderson, who assured them he was fine -- an interaction Sanderson doesn't deny but said in court filings that he can't remember.
While showing images on a projector of Paltrow on a chairlift with her son, Paltrow's attorney cautioned jurors not to let sympathy for Sanderson's medical ailments skew their judgements. He questioned the 76-year-old's credibility, noting his age and documented, pre-collision brain injuries. He said that the Utah man had confirmed he was fine after the crash. Owens also said that Sanderson posted a "very happy, smiling picture" of himself online, being tobogganed down post-crash.
"His memories of the case get better over the years. That's all I'm gonna say. That's not how memory works," Owens said.
After his initial lawsuit seeking US$3.1 million was dropped, Sanderson amended the complaint and he is now seeking US$300,000. Paltrow -- the Oscar-winning actor known for her roles in "Shakespeare in Love" and Marvel's "Iron Man" movies -- filed a counterclaim, seeking attorney fees and $1 in damages.
Paltrow has alleged that Sanderson was actually the culprit in the collision, is overstating his injuries, and is trying to exploit her celebrity and wealth. In addition to her acting career, she is also the founder and CEO of high-end wellness company goop.
"He demanded Ms. Paltrow pay him millions. If she did not pay, she would face negative publicity resulting from his allegations," her attorneys wrote in a 2019 court filing.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.