OT: Aquilini Family found to have shortchanged migrant workers; new allegations of harassment surface

[Zippgunn]

Not even Off Topic in my opinion. This kinda **** is so ****ing low.

So you approve? Or do you just want to stick your head in the sand and ignore this story? I have friends who have done extensive business with the Aqs. Their opinion is that the old man is the brains and Frankie is a foolish playboy but that they all are vermin. Worse than Trump because they are slightly smarter.

 

[sting101]

Man are these guys a bunch of scumbags.

So little regard for the less fortunate in life while they cash in the power and wealth of the family business.

Can only hope that these guys find a maturity level and ethical balance to one day do enough in this city to gain back respect. With what they have shown so far i doubt it and i get that with enough dealings there is bound to be some poor ones and bad circumstances but it's really sad that these type of things keep arising.

 

[StreetHawk]

So you approve? Or do you just want to stick your head in the sand and ignore this story? I have friends who have done extensive business with the Aqs. Their opinion is that the old man is the brains and Frankie is a foolish playboy but that they all are vermin. Worse than Trump because they are slightly smarter.

I never expect the top people of large companies to know the day to day dealings of their staff outside of the executives who report to them.

But to be a good leader, it’s about how you react when stuff like this comes up and how you correct it.

I’m surprised that they didn’t settle this much earlier. The amount of money isn’t worth the bad PR. Can’t believe that there are not people within the organization who would have advised them to settle the matter behind closed doors.

 

[Hit the post]

I never expect the top people of large companies to know the day to day dealings of their staff outside of the executives who report to them.

But to be a good leader, it’s about how you react when stuff like this comes up and how you correct it.

I’m surprised that they didn’t settle this much earlier. The amount of money isn’t worth the bad PR. Can’t believe that there are not people within the organization who would have advised them to settle the matter behind closed doors.

Yeah that was the main point inside that bad joke post I made earlier. How the **** can any kind of excutive not see that? Or better yet have advisors (yes, you should have these in a big operation such as this especially if you're a silver spoon kid) that tell you how to fix the problem before it gets to this point. Amateur hour (though considering how the Canucks are being run, hardly surprising).

 

[VanJack]

Does anyone else see the ugly irony here? While the Canucks prattle on about "Canuck Place', the "Canucks for Kids Foundation" and all their charitable causes for the less fortunate, the low-life ownership and his companies are taking advantage of the most vulnerable people in our society. Temporary foreign workers have few rights or economic security that so many of us take for granted.

But I suppose it's not much different than Trump paying peanuts to illegal immigrants at the Trump Hotels and Resorts, while erecting border walls and interning migrants, mothers and kids in detention camps. And then when he gets 'outed', proceeds to fire them all.

You think you can deal with any indignity, but raw 'hypocrisy' still gets me every time.

At some point decent people in this world are going to take a stand. The tyranny of the billionaires and mega-rich has gone way too far.

 

[passive voice]

So you approve? Or do you just want to stick your head in the sand and ignore this story? I have friends who have done extensive business with the Aqs. Their opinion is that the old man is the brains and Frankie is a foolish playboy but that they all are vermin. Worse than Trump because they are slightly smarter.

No, I'm with you. I meant this is very much on-topic.

 

[timw33]

At some point decent people in this world are going to take a stand. The tyranny of the billionaires and mega-rich has gone way too far.

Billionaires should not exist.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Does anyone else see the ugly irony here? While the Canucks prattle on about "Canuck Place', the "Canucks for Kids Foundation" and all their charitable causes for the less fortunate, the low-life ownership and his companies are taking advantage of the most vulnerable people in our society. Temporary foreign workers have few rights or economic security that so many of us take for granted.

But I suppose it's not much different than Trump paying peanuts to illegal immigrants at the Trump Hotels and Resorts, while erecting border walls and interning migrants, mothers and kids in detention camps. And then when he gets 'outed', proceeds to fire them all.

You think you can deal with any indignity, but raw 'hypocrisy' still gets me every time.

At some point decent people in this world are going to take a stand. The tyranny of the billionaires and mega-rich has gone way too far.

A bit of perspective - and distance - is needed here. Canuck Place, Canucks Autism Network, Canucks for Kid Foundation - all of these have management and volunteer structures in place that are able to operate quite independently regardless of who is managing the team or owning it at any place in time. Those altruistic outfits will outlive the Aquilinis' ownership of the team. The hard work of all of the employees and volunteers should not be lumped in as part of some effort for the Aquilinis to improve their image - they do incredible work and touch the lives of a lot of people.

That the Aquilinis are...shady...comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention.

 

[RobertKron]

Agreed. Bad PR. This sort of thing likely doesn’t make it up that far up the food chain. But surprised that they didn’t settle.

Aquaman really is terrible at surrounding himself with quality people to give him proper advice.

They’re f***ing slumlords. Maybe they don’t want “quality people” around them.

 

[Javaman]

Billionaires should not exist.

I really wanted to like this post, but I held off lol

I feel it needs an addition... something like "Billionaires should not exist if poverty exists" or "Billionaires should not exist if they are able to use their wealth to further entrench an unjust economic/political system"

Let the digressions begin.

 

[ChilliBilly]

I know wealthy people. I know a billionaire. The ones I know are nice. Bill Gates has decided to use about 95% + of his wealth to make the world better. For every one of these decent people there are the Trumps, Waltons, Aquaweinies of the world. Selfish f***ing pricks who just want more money that they don't really need.

This story is disgusting. Either Aquaman doesn't fix the problem, or he doesn't care. What a prick.

I have no real problem with there being "billionaires". I have a problem with a society that doesn't take care of the weak. I have no sympathy for the lazy.

I have the privilege of being born a white male in the British Properties. The world is never going to be really fair, but it should be a lot nicer than some prick like Trump. or Aquaman.

 

[Javaman]

I know wealthy people. I know a billionaire. The ones I know are nice. Bill Gates has decided to use about 95% + of his wealth to make the world better. For every one of these decent people there are the Trumps, Waltons, Aquaweinies of the world. Selfish ****ing pricks who just want more money that they don't really need.

This story is disgusting. Either Aquaman doesn't fix the problem, or he doesn't care. What a prick.

I have no real problem with there being "billionaires". I have a problem with a society that doesn't take care of the weak. I have no sympathy for the lazy.

I have the privilege of being born a white male in the British Properties. The world is never going to be really fair, but it should be a lot nicer than some prick like Trump. or Aquaman.

Is it enough for a billionaire to be "nice" if they don't take steps to remedy the fundamental inequities that allowed them to exploit their privilege to become billionaires in the first place?

 

[timw33]

Is it enough for a billionaire to be "nice" if they don't take steps to remedy the fundamental inequities that allowed them to exploit their privilege to become billionaires in the first place?

We shouldn't have to rely on the kindness of the extremely wealthy to build new hospital wings, libraries, fund critical medical/scientific research, and fund various charitable causes, etc. It's a sign of a broken system.

 

[Pavel96]

I would not be surprised if the Aquilini's no longer own the Canucks in 10 years.

We can only hope.

 

[StreetHawk]

We can only hope.

Who is a local person that can afford the team & arena? I’d guess $1 billion for both.

Unless there is a major corporation who buys them like Rogers and Bell with MLSE.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Who is a local person that can afford the team & arena? I’d guess $1 billion for both.

Unless there is a major corporation who buys them like Rogers and Bell with MLSE.

Jimmy Pattison could afford that.

 

[Hit the post]

Jimmy Pattison could afford that.

I'm old enough to have a sticker somewhere in my parents attic of that old Pattison hockey team (ok, it's been a long time so it's probably long decomposed in a landfill somewhere). Would be a great tie-in though - imagine the hockey promotion; come to the game & get a free joint (and blaze it up!).

 

[StreetHawk]

Jimmy Pattison could afford that.

A 90 year old is going to drop $1 billion on the Canucks? If he was 60 I could buy that.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I'm old enough to have a sticker somewhere in my parents attic of that old Pattison hockey team (ok, it's been a long time so it's probably long decomposed in a landfill somewhere). Would be a great tie-in though - imagine the hockey promotion; come to the game & get a free joint (and blaze it up!).

Heh, I scored a knock off Vancouver Blazers jersey off the inter webs not too long ago. A Claude St-Sauveur custom, too.

 

[Captain Bowie]

I'm old enough to have a sticker somewhere in my parents attic of that old Pattison hockey team (ok, it's been a long time so it's probably long decomposed in a landfill somewhere). Would be a great tie-in though - imagine the hockey promotion; come to the game & get a free joint (and blaze it up!).

I didn't realize he owned the Blazers when they were here.

A 90 year old is going to drop $1 billion on the Canucks? If he was 60 I could buy that.

A parting gift for his kids, perhaps.

 

[nowhereman]

You don't become a billionaire by being ethical. It's a sad reality of the business world and a bit naive to think otherwise.

This is just the stuff we hear about. There are likely far more shameful skeletons in the closet.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Is it enough for a billionaire to be "nice" if they don't take steps to remedy the fundamental inequities that allowed them to exploit their privilege to become billionaires in the first place?

Good social comment. But. Do you want a communist system that's it all belongs to the government? Its been tried and doesn't work well. Do you want a system that says low taxes and buy the politicians? (hint america is working on this right now).

NO!. Some things the government is better at than private corporations. Other things the government should not be allowed near.

After my 60 years of experience, I have determined that the government is better suited for about 30% of things. Like fire departments, water, public parks, roads ( its a fairly long list and tiresome) etc, but it requires responsible oversight. And "reasonable" taxation. It is not an easy equation. Give Germany Sweden and that part of the world kudos for have come f***ing close.

 

[Pip]

You have to feel terrible for the workers here. After that money is split up they come away with very little and given like the article states, many spend a lot of their savings just getting to Canada, it’s a brutally low payout.

 

[ChilliBilly]

You don't become a billionaire by being ethical. It's a sad reality of the business world and a bit naive to think otherwise.

This is just the stuff we hear about. There are likely far more shameful skeletons in the closet.

Not always. The rich people I know, including a billionaire, want the system to be fair, but also want to reward hard work. Balanced with helping the disadvantaged, but not the lazy. It is not an easy equation. And to the best of my knowledge, the "billionaire" was always ethical. We are never going to be all "equal". I think all will agree we don't want those in power making it easier for the rich. And we all agree that we don't want a communist system that says we take everything and split it equally.

but its certainly a challenge to take the middle road where we reward hard work but take care of the disadvantaged.

Or more simply, Aquaman is a privileged prick, but some people with money are decent human beings.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Not always. The rich people I know, including a billionaire, want the system to be fair, but also want to reward hard work. Balanced with helping the disadvantaged, but not the lazy. It is not an easy equation. And to the best of my knowledge, the "billionaire" was always ethical. We are never going to be all "equal". I think all will agree we don't want those in power making it easier for the rich. And we all agree that we don't want a communist system that says we take everything and split it equally.

but its certainly a challenge to take the middle road where we reward hard work but take care of the disadvantaged.

Or more simply, Aquaman is a privileged prick, but some people with money are decent human beings.

Tell him to buy the team.