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With divorce trial looming, Canucks owner applies for publication ban

Francesco Aquilini

Vancouver Canucks’ owner Francesco Aquilini speaks on his mobile phone as general manager Mike Gillis, not pictured, speaks to reporters down the hallway in Vancouver, British Columbia on Monday April 25, 2011. Vancouver and the Chicago Blackhawks play game 7 of a Western Conference quarterfinal Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini doesn’t want the details of his upcoming divorce trial splashed all over the local newspapers and TV channels.

And so he’s doing something about it.

Per the Vancouver Sun -- which refers to the upcoming trial as “one of the most divisive and controversial divorce trials” in the province’s history -- Aquilini’s lawyers have applied for a limited publication ban in order to protect his family’s business interests, as well as his children, during the proceedings.

Aquilini subsequently released a statement, which reads as follows:

“Today my lawyers have filed notice that we are seeking orders to protect the confidentiality of private family and commercial interests in the course of the divorce trial that starts on Monday, September 9th.

“I am requesting this order to protect my children. During this trial, protecting my five children will be at the heart of everything I do relating to both custodial and financial matters.

“While I can personally withstand the impact of media coverage, it is simply not fair to have my children exposed to the effects of sensitive family matters being aired this way. I am confident that my wife Taliah would agree that this order is in the best interests of our family.”

In fact, Taliah Aquilini may not agree with her husband. In June of 2012, her lawyer argued quite the opposite.

From The Province:

Tracy Jackson, a lawyer for Taliah Aquilini, said her client was worried about Francesco Aquilini conducting himself “under a cloud of secrecy” in the litigation and in an “unreasonable” and “unnecessarily aggressive” manner.

Jackson said it doesn’t make sense for the Canucks’ owner to now say, as he does in his affidavit, that his wife will accuse him of infidelity and that it will have a negative impact on his children.

She said her client says Aquilini admitted to her that he was going out on the town, frequenting bars, restaurants and nightclubs, that there were other women during the marriage and that he admitted his conduct showed little regard for his children or the family.

“It’s too little too late to say that Mr. Aquilini is now concerned about that impact. Mr. Aquilini was not concerned about his conduct at the time he engaged in it.”

Jackson said that “the cat’s out of the bag” and where there is already publicity in a case, the courts should be less likely to grant a sealing order.

She said Francesco Aquilini is already a public figure and Taliah Aquilini has already provided evidence in her materials about the public nature in the way he has conducted himself.

That particular sealing order, by the way, was granted by the court. (Decision here.)