CHL lawsuit gets dicey if it’s a class action

This week the News reported eight former or current Medicine Hat Tigers had registered with a law firm seeking backwages via a class-action lawsuit for hundreds of former major junior hockey players.

Actually, they might all be part of it, and it’s because of a how Alberta courts governs such suits.

Whereas in most places, a potential plaintiff must explicitly sign on to be party to a class action, in Alberta qualified persons are considered in unless they specifically opt out.

Should the suit — filed in Calgary — be certified as a class action after a hearing this week, every Tiger who played between 2010 and 2016 would be involved.

Every other WHL player, too, including the sons of several owners and coaches.

One can only imagine the flurry of legal activity unleashed in the tight-knit hockey world should it proceed.

At issue is whether players are employees and therefore entitled to at least minimum wage.

Lawyers for the league say ‘no,’ repeating the long-held position that the amateur athletes already receive scholarships and valuable professional training.

Lawyers for two named plaintiffs say ‘yes’, that the league is run by wealthy owners who make millions from sponsorships, an agreement with the NHL, advertising and attendance, while players receive a stipend.

To pull it all apart, a Calgary judge this week ordered unsealed about 7,000 pages of financial documents from the 22 teams in the Western Hockey League.

Investment Strategy

The best time to start saving is yesterday, the saying goes, and second best time is today.

There’s some suggestion however, it could actually be up to three years from now.

This comes from a few notebooks ago, but in late January, Mayor Ted Clugston told council he had some concerns about how city funds were set to be transferred into a new portfolio managed by AIMCo.

Local officials recommend equal payments over 12 months as a prudent strategy for the estimated $120-million deposit.

The basic idea is easing money into the market slowly guards against sudden shocks. It also misses sudden uptakes, but the idea is that safer is better.

Clugston however, said a term of 24 or even 36 months might be a better strategy considering political uncertainty in the U.S. and the global economy.

“We are right at the peak of the stock market right now,” said Clugston.

Commissioner Brian Mastel said six months is standard but the advisers agreed to 12.

Couns. Bill Cocks and Les Pearson both said the money is initially bound for a holding account. Managers would develop their own schedule of when to make actual investments. “That’s the advice that we’re paying for,” said Cocks.

Family Day

Police Point Park will again host Family Day activities Feb. 20 sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. residents can use snow-shoe and cross country ski rentals at no charge, make a birdhouse, roast a hot dog and take part in a number of other activities.

Visit natureline.info for more info.

The weekend also serves as a free fishing weekend in Alberta, meaning no license is required, though — as always — be aware of ice thickness.

A look ahead

Residents will hear about three interesting new endeavours at Monday’s public services committee meeting, including a First World War memorial project in Medicine Hat and details of the planned Hometown Hockey event set for downtown on the March 4 weekend. General grants for cultural events in 2017 will also be discussed.

100 years ago

Mr. Joseph Emery had left the city bound for the Chicago Auto Show with the intention of securing a major tire manufacturing plant for Medicine Hat, the News reported on Feb. 13, 1917.

Locally, national Elks leader Charles Barnett was cajoled by local members of the order to support a bid to host a Grand Lodge national conference in Medicine Hat.

Germany announced it would conduct a total submarine campaign to capture or sink all supply ships destined for Entente countries, including those flying neutral flags.

The Royal Northwest Mounted Police would not be removed from the Prairies, as was rumoured, according to a dispatch from Ottawa.

In the region, the new Hewitt & Black department store in Manyberries had commenced business and “independent of the cold, stormy weather, grain continues to roll into the busy town (of Orion).”