Martine Roy, one of the women who came forward publicly, was disappointed her criminal complaint will not go ahead but expressed some relief on Wednesday that Mr. Rozon will face criminal justice. This article was published more than 1 year ago. A group of women who call themselves Les Courageuses have also filed a $10-million civil suit alleging Mr. Rozon sexually abused at least 20 women between 1982 and 2016. The Quebec prosecutions office issued a statement saying “it happens that a prosecutor may believe a victim but arrive at the conclusion that the case does not allow for a demonstration beyond reasonable doubt of guilt, or that the case is more an issue of sexual harassment or misconduct or a civil matter.”. Some information in it may no longer be current. Gilbert Rozon accepts the Icon Award at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto on March 12, 2017. “Despite everything, I would encourage women to continue calling people out. Gilbert Rozon is a producer and actor, known for, Just for Laughs Founder Gilbert Rozon Charged With Rape, Indecent Assault, Asia Argento Report Casts Shadow Over ‘X Factor Italy’ Participation, Just for Laughs Festival Is the Coachella of Comedy, You Are Breaking the Fourth Wall!!! Peter Power/The Canadian Press. Check out our most anticipated streaming picks. “What I’d like to say to these women is it’s not a value judgment on their stories, but a very specific decision on a specific set of circumstances, to decide if criminal charges can go forward.”. Quebec prosecutors have filed rape and assault charges against Canadian entertainment magnate Gilbert Rozon but have set aside allegations of sexual misconduct made by 13 other women. 351 King Street East, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON Canada, M5A 0N1, Just $1.99 per week for the first 24 weeks, var select={root:".js-sub-pencil",control:".js-sub-pencil-control",open:"o-sub-pencil--open",closed:"o-sub-pencil--closed"},dom={},allowExpand=!0;function pencilInit(o){var e=arguments.length>1&&void 0!==arguments[1]&&arguments[1];select.root=o,dom.root=document.querySelector(select.root),dom.root&&(dom.control=document.querySelector(select.control),dom.control.addEventListener("click",onToggleClicked),setPanelState(e),window.addEventListener("scroll",onWindowScroll),dom.root.removeAttribute("hidden"))}function isPanelOpen(){return dom.root.classList.contains(select.open)}function setPanelState(o){dom.root.classList[o?"add":"remove"](select.open),dom.root.classList[o? If you are looking to give feedback on our new site, please send it along to, To view this site properly, enable cookies in your browser. All rights reserved. I’ll say again, this isn’t a value judgment on their stories, it’s a very precise decision in a very precise context, meaning in the ability to lay criminal charges.”. Mr. Rozon, who has denied the allegations, will appear in court Jan. 22. “The prosecution must effectively make a demonstration to the court of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on the part of the accused,” it said. The Canadian comedy festival creator is also facing a C$10m class-action lawsuit, Wed 12 Dec 2018 21.25 EST After a short stay in France at age 20, he studied law at the Université de Montréal where he graduated. “The worst thing is silence,” she said. Gilbert Rozon is the eldest of seven children. 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Check out some of the IMDb editors' favorites movies and shows to round out your Watchlist. The judge at the time expressed concern that a criminal record might prevent Rozon from travelling to the US for his business activities, which would have an impact on Montreal’s economy. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter . We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. “I will continue to defend myself before the justice system, and I reserve all comment for that authority,” he said. Gilbert Rozon, Producer: Funny as Hell. The charges relate to the allegations of one woman who was part of a group of 14 who had their complaints investigated by Quebec’s department of criminal and penal prosecutions. People should not think it is taken lightly,” Justice Minister Sonia LeBel, a former provincial prosecutor, told reporters in Quebec City. Many of those women are also pursuing a civil suit against Mr. Rozon. That case is still in progress in the Canadian civil system. It is in this context from his work experience that he developed his sense of humour. Available for everyone, funded by readers. Many of them emerged upset and angry but did not know charges were coming in one other case. “The worst thing is silence,” a provincial justice minister, Sonia LeBel, told reporters on Wednesday. He was issued a C$1,100 fine and a year’s probation, but appealed the conviction and eventually received an unconditional pardon, which left him without a criminal record. At the age of 14 he became a gravedigger, salesman, printer, show organizer, publisher of telephone directories business, key to real estate, etc. A civil suit has a lower burden of proof. The allegations led to the Canadian’s resignation from his role with the comedy company in October 2017, and a number of other high-profile positions, including as vice-president of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce. Another group of women, calling themselves Les Courageuses, launched a C$10m class-action lawsuit against Rozon in May, based on allegations of rape and sexual harassment occurring between 1982 and 2016. A total of 30 women have made allegations against the 64-year-old. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. “At least they’ve pursued one case. Rozon has not admitted to any of the allegations, saying upon his resignation last year that he was stepping down “out of respect for the employees and families who work for these organisations and all our partners”. Rozon said in a statement to Canadian media this week that he had learned of the charges against him on Wednesday morning. © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Last modified on Wed 12 Dec 2018 21.26 EST. In the fall of 2017, 10 women came forward in a series of news reports to accuse Mr. Rozon of abuse and, in the end, 14 filed criminal complaints with Montreal police. The charges come more than a year after allegations of sexual misconduct against Rozon began surfacing in the wake of the #MeToo movement that was sweeping the entertainment industry. Mr. Rozon resigned from his post in charge of Just for Laughs shortly after the allegations surfaced and sold the comedy business last spring. Quebec’s director of criminal prosecutions announced the charges on Wednesday, which relate to incidents that are alleged to have occurred in June and September 1979, in Saint-Sauveur. Only Ms. Roy was willing to comment on Tuesday after charges were laid. That means: Comments that violate our community guidelines will be removed. The DCPC also said that the burden of proof for criminal prosecution was very high owing to the presumption of innocence. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. Gilbert Rozon is a producer and actor, known for Funny as Hell (2011), Just for Laughs: All-Access (2012) and Bullet in the Face (2012). Thank you for your patience. Read our, I'm a print subscriber, link to my account, Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language. Justice officials citing privacy could only offer limited explanations for the lack of charges in the cases of 13 women Wednesday, saying the decision is not a commentary on the truth of their stories but a calculation of the likelihood of successful prosecution. © Copyright 2020 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved. Looking for some great streaming picks? resignation from his role with the comedy company. Gilbert Rozon, the founder of Canadian comedy festival Just For Laughs, has been charged with rape and indecent assault. The minister urged women to come forward with any further allegations. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. (Part 2), Gala Eric Salvail: Soirée Grande Première, David Alan Grier: Comedy You Can Believe In, Florence Foresti fait des sketches à la Cigale, Just for Laughs: Montreal Comedy Festival, Virginie Lemoine Le syndrome de Madame Chiasson, Emission spéciale sur les attentats de Paris. The DCPC announced this week that it had found the complaints of the other 13 women to be not viable for prosecution, but urged women not to be discouraged by that outcome. We hope to have this fixed soon. Gilbert Rozon accepts the Icon Award at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto on March 12, 2017. After he sold his stake in Just for Laughs, a well-known pipeline to Hollywood for comedians, the company was bought by Bell Media, Groupe OCH, ICM Partners and the Canadian comedian Howie Mandel. Raised in Saint-André d'Argenteuil, he began working at a young age as a paperboy. Some of the other women said they were preparing a full statement for Wednesday. On Monday and Tuesday, the 13 women whose complaints will not go forward were summoned one-by-one to the provincial prosecutors’ office to be told the news and offered an explanation. Gilbert Rozon, the founder of Canadian comedy festival Just For Laughs, has been charged with rape and indecent assault. October is packed with great movies and several new and returning TV series. “I’ve had to make this kind of decision, and it’s a very difficult one for prosecutors. The women have accused Mr. Rozon of sexual misconduct including unwanted advances in the workplace, groping, exposure and rape. Mr. Rozon issued a brief statement late on Wednesday saying he was aware of the charges against him dating back nearly 40 years and that he would continue to defend himself before the courts. Mr. Rozon, 64, the founder of the Just for Laughs comedy franchise, faces one count of rape and another of indecent assault in charges filed in court on Wednesday. It’s better than nothing,” said Ms. Roy, Mr. Rozon’s former sister-in-law who has accused him of sexual assault. He declined to comment any further. Click here to subscribe. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Both stem from the allegations of a single complainant, and the charges are based on criminal law in 1979, the time of the alleged assaults. While a criminal case requires evidence beyond reasonable doubt of a crime, a civil suit can win on a balance of probabilities. “At least we’ll see him have his day in court.”. In 1998 Rozon pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman.