Words don't make up for lack of action

Motto of the London Police Service. Deeds not words, it means.

- ROSIE DIMANNO

But the words came tumbling out on Monday afternoon. Miles of words from the chief of police and the detective who heads the sexual assault unit.

The chief even emphasized, in his remarks, that he would be using the term "victim" in reference to the young woman who says she was sexually assaulted by a number of players from Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team- because that is what she prefers, rather than "survivor" or "complainant." How very accommodating the police force is toward the woman, now, almost six years after the alleged incident occurred when at least five of the players from that squad purportedly sexually assaulted her.

How very lauding was police Chief Thai Truong to E.M., as the victim is known in court documents, her identity protected.

"I want to recognize and acknowledge the victim for her courage and her incredible strength throughout." How very sorry. "My sincerest apology to the victim, to her family, for the amount of time that it has taken to reach this point.

"I thank the victim for her patience." A mea culpa, except it wasn't at all a mea culpa, and echoed by Det.Sgt. Katherine Dann, who heads the investigation which has resulted in charges laid against five defendants. Their formal indictment preceded the cop press conference by four hours and none of the accused appeared in person as reading of the charges was waived and a flank of lawyers, participating remotely, proceeded by way of designation. No need for any of the accused to show their faces, after they were given nearly a fortnight to present themselves in person at the police station, police biding all that time between confirmation of the charges and this ... this ... extended say-almost-nothing media confab.

But say it in a lot of words and with appropriate regrets.

How very emphatic on at least one significant point, because the misinformation out there has been considerable.