Mayor Gregor Robertson clarified through a spokesperson Friday that the city will not ask Canucks Sports and Entertainment, the ownership group of the city's NHL franchise, to pay any part of the multimillion-dollar bill for the June 15 riot that followed the hockey team's lucrative but underwhelming, goalless performance in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
Last Tuesday he was asked if the Canucks should contribute to policing costs for public events that directly benefit and enhance their brand. He was asked if the Canucks were in any way financially accountable for the riot. "That's definitely an open discussion and one that we need to have with the Canucks and the league and make sure that it's equitable, that the costs related to big celebrations are borne by everyone who is benefiting from it," he said. "It's been a difficult conversation in the past and there hasn't been willingness but given what's happened, I'm hopeful that there is some receptiveness with that going forward." He said he wants the city to work in partnership with the NHL and the Canucks in the event of future playoffs.
"Most leagues or organizing bodies are involved when there is a big final like this, whether it's FIFA or the IOC or the NBA or NFL. We've seen the leagues actually participate, the teams participate proactively. We want to see that again next time," said Robertson, pointing to the city's partnership with the Canadian Football League in advance of November's Grey Cup at B.C. Place. "We want to see that style. That seems to be the best practices globally and we don't have that here," he said, presumably meaning with the NHL.
He then said the city would make an official request of the Canucks. After the Courier's initial story, Robertson clarified through a spokesperson that he did not intend to ask for retroactive payment but instead indicated any conversations with the Canucks will be forward-looking and not about the June 15 riot. "I haven't asked yet," he previously said. "We've had some informal conversations about that, going into this playoffs and I think in past playoffs this has come up, but we don't have a formal request in yet. Those are discussions that are going to happen, though."
