Toronto city councillor Michael Thompson took the witness stand Tuesday, denying he misrepresented a 2022 Canada Day weekend cottage trip on Acton Island in Muskoka as a professional networking opportunity.
Testifying in his own defence at his sexual assault trial in Barrie, Thompson, 65, said he invited multiple people to the gathering, including a university student he had recently met, but did not frame the event as career-related.
“I didn’t just invite her,” Thompson told the court. “I invited her brother, her sister, and her mother.”
The six-term councillor has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault stemming from allegations made by two different women, both of whom testified earlier in the trial. One alleges Thompson touched her inappropriately while applying sunscreen. The other says he forced himself on her while she was intoxicated later that night. Their identities are protected by a publication ban.
On Tuesday, Thompson responded to earlier testimony from the student, who is not a complainant but previously told the court he described the trip as a chance to network. She also testified that she felt misled and isolated when other expected guests did not attend.
Thompson testified that he met the woman at a Yorkville art gallery a few weeks before the trip. After a brief conversation, they exchanged phone numbers and later crossed paths again at a nearby bar. He said he offered her a ride home to Richmond Hill after learning she had no other transportation.
During that drive, Thompson said the woman spoke about personal and financial challenges. Before dropping her off, he said he gave her $100 to help cover a cellphone bill. “This is something I naturally do, help someone,” he told the court.
The student previously testified that the money was unsolicited and made her uncomfortable.
In his testimony, Thompson said he had not discussed the cottage weekend during the car ride and did not portray it as a professional event. Asked whether he had promised employment or advancement in exchange for attendance, Thompson replied, “No.”
The Crown closed its case earlier Tuesday after calling three witnesses over the course of the trial, which began in Bracebridge last fall before moving to Barrie. The proceedings are being heard by the Ontario Court of Justice.
Thompson’s testimony is scheduled to continue Wednesday.
