Sunday, October 01, 2006

Besmirching Belinda

I wonder if Domi's spurned wife voted Conservative?

Domi's wife Leanne said in court documents that she believed her husband was having an "intimate sexual relationship" with Belinda Stronach, a cabinet minister in Canada's previous Liberal government. Hockey star confirms divorce, not affair

One has to ask this simple question; since divorce is no fault in Canada why she decided to go the public adversarial route? Why does this smell of Conservative political operatives being involved?

Leanne Domi has not made any direct statements to the media about the breakdown of her marriage, yet the allegations laid out in the divorce application are quite specific. "Tie Domi has committed adultery with Belinda Stronach,'' the first line of the court document reads.

She didn't have to go to the media once she filed pulbic divorce papers. That was red meat for the shark frenzy. What's In The Leanne Domi Divorce Document?

The ensuing blame Belinda coverage in the media and blogosphere shows that this was a deliberate and calculated attempt to do political damage to a sitting MP.

Belinda Stronach was warned in no uncertain terms that her private life would be "completely exposed" if she entered federal politics


The lack of focus on the primary player in this; Tie Domi himself shows the insulation the media wraps its sports heros in, while leaving politicians open season to speculative perjorative reporting.

Leanne claims he was 'violent' with her, yet a previous joint lawsuit with hubby disputing that allegation was a success for the Domi' and a career killer for a sportscaster.

In 2004, Tie Domi and his wife Leanne filed suit against the "Team 1200" AM radio station in Ottawa after a commentator, Don "Dandyman" Romani, insinuated on the air that Domi beat his wife. The lawsuit was dropped after the station fired Romani, who apologised to the Domis, and said his remarks were an ill-advised attempt at humour.

Domi's divorce was sure to get news coverage, however to implicate Belinda Stronach in this in a public way stinks of backroom politics. This is more than just being a case of a woman scorned getting her revenge.

Leanne Domi alleges her husband asked her not to go public with details of their divorce, promising to give her $1 million in cash and their $1.5-million house if she did not hire a lawyer. If she contacted a lawyer, however, "I would get nothing," she said in the application. Domi, estranged wife make a deal

This was calaculated for its political as well as media impact. The damage done a truce was called between the warring factions. The focus on Belinda is one sided when one considers that it was Tie's actions, not her's, which historically ruined his relationship with his wife.

According to a Google for Julie Hannaford, Leanne Domi's lawyer, she is no mere spring chicken, no articling lawyer. She is a player, she is a past President of the Empire Club.

She litigated the
World's First Gay Divorce

She took Culutral studies at Trent.

She is a partner in Borden Elliot which was merged into the giant International Bay Street firm of Borden Ladner Gervais.


Julie Hannaford

Julie Hannaford, M.A. (Toronto), LL.B. (Toronto) was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1985. She practices law in Toronto as a partner of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Her practice is concentrated in litigation. Prior to being course director in the Trial Advocacy course at U of T, she taught as a part time member of faculty at Osgoode Hall in the Trial Practice course. She has taught at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy in their advocacy training programmes at Minneapolis, Dallas, and Boulder, and in their faculty training programmes held at Notre Dame University and Harvard University. She has been invited faculty/team leader in the Trial Advocacy course at Louisiana State University Law School at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has chaired and taught in courses on advocacy and trial practice for the Ontario Centre for Advocacy Training (OCAT), the Law Society of Upper Canada, and the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario).


See:

He Shoots


Belinda Stronach


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