After months of delays, a Manitoba judge has given convicted rapist Peter Nygard one month to find a lawyer to represent him in Manitoba, warning him the court will no longer wait to proceed on his charges.
“The onus is on you to obtain counsel,” Associate Chief Judge Tracey Lord told Nygard Wednesday, as the disgraced fashion mogul appeared in a Winnipeg courtroom via telephone.
“I do appreciate there may be some logistical difficulties with you doing that given your situation, but this matter has to move forward.”
Nygard, 82, is charged with one count each of sexual assault and forcible confinement for an alleged incident at his former Winnipeg headquarters in 1993.
He was convicted after trial last year in Ontario of four counts of sexual assault and remains in custody in a Toronto detention facility as he awaits sentencing.
PHIL HOSSACK / FREE PRESS FILES
Peter Nygard was charged in July 2023 with sexual assault and forcible confinement stemming from an alleged incident at his former company headquarters in Winnipeg in November 1993.
Nygard’s Manitoba court proceedings have been delayed since January, when Toronto-based defence lawyer Brian Greenspan withdrew from the case, citing an “irreconcilable breakdown in the solicitor-client relationship.”
On Wednesday, Nygard repeatedly complained about his limited access to the telephone, saying it was preventing him from finding legal representation in Winnipeg.
Lawyer Tim Valgardson attended court on behalf of Nygard, saying his office is helping him search for counsel. Valgardson previously confirmed he had been in discussions to represent Nygard but later told a Winnipeg court he could not proceed due to a conflict of interest.
“My office has spoken with two very prominent criminal lawyers in Winnipeg… who have agreed to meet with Mr. Nygard and discuss a retainer,” Valgardson told the court.
“The last time I heard, they were trying to set up a meeting with Mr. Nygard.”
When asked by Lord to confirm which lawyers he had been communicating with, Nygard could not provide a clear answer.
“I have not been able to talk to anybody, your honour. I’ve been fully involved with my Toronto case where I am supposed to be up for my sentence hearing and I’m preparing for that every minute of my time on the phone, so I have not had a chance at all to talk with any other lawyer of any other jurisdiction,” he said.
“The court does not provide me with very much time to communicate on the telephone.”
Nygard last appeared remotely in a Winnipeg courtroom on May 6. The matter was again adjourned due to Nygard’s lack of a lawyer.
Appearing by phone, Rob Parker, the Saskatchewan-based prosecutor assigned to the case, said the Crown is prepared to move forward with trial and is concerned about the court process “languishing.”
Valgardson echoed that concern, telling Lord “It might have to be stressed to Mr. Nygard that this matter just can’t keep getting adjourned, that something has to happen with these charges in Winnipeg.”
The associate judge agreed to give Nygard one final month to find counsel, setting his next appearance for June 19.
“We are not going to wait until the Ontario matters are completed before moving forward with these matters, so all I need to know before the next date is if you have someone confirmed,” Lord said.
“That is going to be a finite end date and, at that point, we are going to have to look at case management dates and setting trial dates.”
Nygard is also facing prosecution in Quebec and New York.
tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
Tyler Searle
Reporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’ city desk. Since joining the paper in 2022, he has found himself driving through blizzards, documenting protests and scouring the undersides of bridges for potential stories.
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