Canucks Owner Aquilini Wins Court Battle To Retain Team

B.C. Court Of Appeal Rules In Favor Of Francesco Aquilini

Canucks Owner Francesco Aquilini yesterday "won a judicial shutout in his bid to retain ownership" of the team, according to the CP. The B.C. Court of Appeal "upheld a lower court ruling, rejecting a claim" by Vancouver business execs Tom Gaglardi and Ryan Beedie that they were Aquilini's partners and "should have been included in his purchase of the team" in '04. In a "unanimous decision released Tuesday, three B.C. Appeal Court justices ruled there was no evidence that each of the men were bound to act in the others' best interests." The Appeal Court "pointed out there was no suggestion that when Aquilini withdrew from the partnership with Gaglardi and Beedie that he was bound by [law] to continue" (CP, 2/3). B.C. Court of Appeal Justice Mary Newbury said that the parties in the case were "experienced businessmen who were familiar with partnerships and partnership agreements, had legal advice and none was empowered to bind the others in their negotiations" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 2/4).