Voodoos Co-owner and Team President Jim Bruce talking to the local media back in late June during the Voodoos initial press conference at the Powassan Sportsplex. PHOTO SUBMITTED.
Just days before an election, one of the Powassan Voodoos co-owners has accused Deputy Mayor Todd White of defamation.
A letter posted on the Voodoos website Friday says White began a "negative publicity campaign aimed against the Powassan Voodoos Hockey club and in particular, against co-owner, James Donald Bruce shortly after lease agreements between the town and the club were signed."
The Voodoos letter claims White began to use disparaging comments about a criminal past that he claimed James Donald Bruce had, including criminal charges of fraud.
These charges, according to the Voodoos website, were laid against another person with a similar name, something the Voodoos owners claim White was made aware of.
The Voodoos ownership group is comprised of Sylvain, Marc and Dan Rivet along with Ray Seguin, Graeme Bruce and Team President Jim Bruce.
The letter goes on to say that White had accused Powassan’s mayor of dealing with "convicts."
According to the Voodoos letter, White did not contact any member of the club about the issue, but did contact the league.
The Voodoos letter states that he “contact the Technical & Education Director of NOJHL asking if the league conducted criminal record checks of its owners."
The Deputy Mayor White stated that one of the owners,"had something.”
He was apparently referred to the NOHA website and the Commissioner of the NOJHL, Robert Mazzuca.
The Voodoos release states "White’s actions damaged the reputation of James Bruce, and the club, and that he had recklessly made accusations without proper research."
Todd White, when contacted by BayToday.ca, says he has been misrepresented.
“I love the Voodoos, I love the team, I coach hockey, I love hockey,” said White.
White says he was only concerned about the Voodoos, “kicking out a local owner," and that the mayor, Peter McIsaac, negotiated the contract privately.
White went on to say that the file was left with Mayor Peter McIsaac for follow up as far as a criminal reference check on the owners, as part of due diligence, and White did not ever hear back from him.
White also shared several emails with baytoday between himself, NOHA, and NOJHL officials over the summer months. While he did ask about criminal reference checks, the emails shared with baytoday did not refer to any member of the Voodoos, or make any criminal reference, merely stated concerns as an elected official.
When asked if he thought this was connected to Monday’s election, White replied "100 per cent, absolutely.”
The Powassan Voodoos officially became a Northern Ontario Junior 'A' Hockey Franchise back in June as an expansion team.
The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League Eagles franchise, which played out of the Sportsplex in 2013-14, left the community to re-locate to Parry Sound in the off-season.
