Gossip column: Trudeau's daughter, Coyne's Divorce
David Migicovsky
Gossip column
By JEFF HARDER -- Toronto Sun
Pierre Trudeau has been described as the embodiment of a devoted father
when it came to his boys.
But what about the daughter he sired out of wedlock with lawyer Deborah
Coyne?
Coyne gave birth to Sarah Elizabeth almost 10 years ago. In May 1995 she
married Globe and Mail columnist Michael Valpy. Six months after that happy
event, on Dec. 6, Matthew Coyne Valpy was born.
Less than two years after the birth, Valpy and Coyne separated. Divorce
proceedings began shortly after that, and in August 1999, the legal
dissolution was granted.
The court files don't paint a glowing picture of the absentee and now dead
father, Trudeau.
Valpy, obviously, saw it all up close and personal when he was living with
Coyne. However, there was little to see when it came to Trudeau's on-the-
spot parenting, statements filed by Valpy during the divorce proceedings
show.
"The wife has a child from a prior relationship, Sarah," court files say.
"Sarah's father is a wealthy public figure, 36 years older than the mother;
they never cohabitated. He is largely not present in his daughter's life,
visiting for a few hours every six weeks. The wife has had sole authority
and responsibility with respect to Sarah since her birth."
The court documents show this rich and celebrated Canadian gave Coyne
$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
relationship," the court records show.
Valpy couldn't be reached at his Toronto home or his office. Coyne, who
now resides in Ottawa, wasn't available for comment.
* * *
There's a lot of juicy reading in the Coyne/Valpy breakup.
Valpy, according to the documents, was not bathing in the nectar of wedded
bliss.
He claimed Coyne wanted to rebuild his image, from redecorating the Valpy
home to reorganizing the Valpy teeth.
"In the same way the wife tried to make over the husband's farm, she tried
to make over the husband," say allegations contained in court files.
"The husband had never spent much on clothes for himself. She urged the
purchase of clothes at Harry Rosen. She proposed the husband having
expensive cosmetic dental work done which she said would be covered by his
plan. It was not and a bill of $8,200 resulted."
Furthermore, family debts soared during the brief union, and put severe
restrictions on Valpy's lifestyle, the papers claim. "The husband spends
almost nothing on entertainment, eats out very rarely, takes his lunch to
work, buys almost no clothing for himself, does his own laundry and does
not own a car."
Valpy's gross earnings were stated just over the $100,000 mark. Coyne's
salary as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board came in at about
$89,000 a year, which doesn't sound like much for a renowned constitutional
lawyer.
>>David ========>
--
David Migicovsky, Evil Overlord of ACF
Our new ad-free home: A_C_F-s...@topica.com
d m i g i c o v at n e w s c e n e dot c o m
Juleelou
>$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
>tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
>relationship," the court records show.
How much was Trudeau worth???
> Furthermore, family debts soared during the brief union, and put severe
>restrictions on Valpy's lifestyle, the papers claim. "The husband spends
>almost nothing on entertainment, eats out very rarely, takes his lunch to
>work, buys almost no clothing for himself, does his own laundry and does
>not own a car."
This doesn't seem like much of a lifestyle to me. Whatever prompted her to
marry him? Sounds like Mr. Fun for sure. Ick.
> Valpy's gross earnings were stated just over the $100,000 mark.
And he's too freaking cheap to get his teeth fixed????????
Maria
Juleelou <jule...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20001008122644...@ng-da1.aol.com...
> > The court documents show this rich and celebrated Canadian gave Coyne
> >$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
> >tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
> >relationship," the court records show.
>
> How much was Trudeau worth???
> > Furthermore, family debts soared during the brief union, and put severe
> >restrictions on Valpy's lifestyle, the papers claim. "The husband spends
> >almost nothing on entertainment, eats out very rarely, takes his lunch to
> >work, buys almost no clothing for himself, does his own laundry and does
> >not own a car."
>
> This doesn't seem like much of a lifestyle to me. Whatever prompted her
to
> marry him? Sounds like Mr. Fun for sure. Ick.
The article says she had a boy 6 months after they married. Maybe she
wanted to have his child because of his intellect. ;)
-Maria
Deborah
>> The court documents show this rich and celebrated Canadian gave Coyne
>>$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
>>tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
>>relationship," the court records show.
>
>How much was Trudeau worth???
Trudeau was a multimillionaire, but Canadian courts don't take men to
the cleaners over paternity just because they are rich. The only time
you'll see a huge amount being ordered is in a divorce situation where
the wife and children have been living a certain lifestyle for years,
and are thought to be entitled to continue to live the lifestyle to
which they are accustomed. Trudeau never even lived with this woman.
I see no indication that the payments he made were made pursuant to
any court order. Sounds like he voluntarily coughed up, and quite
generously viz a viz what a court WOULD have ordered - probably less.
A few hours visitation every six weeks is better than a lot of men in
his situation would do.
Deborah
Maria
Deborah <dmc...@dccnet.com> wrote in message
news:39e0b2f1....@news.dccnet.com...
I agree. I don't think Coyne expected anything from him as far as
responsibility for Sarah. It was nice he made the effort to know Sarah.
-Maria
David Migicovsky
>On 08 Oct 2000 16:26:44 GMT, jule...@aol.com (Juleelou) wrote:
>
>>> The court documents show this rich and celebrated Canadian gave Coyne
>>>$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
>>>tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
>>>relationship," the court records show.
>>
>>How much was Trudeau worth???
>
>Trudeau was a multimillionaire, but Canadian courts don't take men to
>the cleaners over paternity just because they are rich. The only time
>you'll see a huge amount being ordered is in a divorce situation where
>the wife and children have been living a certain lifestyle for years,
>and are thought to be entitled to continue to live the lifestyle to
>which they are accustomed. Trudeau never even lived with this woman.
>
>I see no indication that the payments he made were made pursuant to
>any court order. Sounds like he voluntarily coughed up, and quite
>generously viz a viz what a court WOULD have ordered - probably less.
>
>A few hours visitation every six weeks is better than a lot of men in
>his situation would do.
>
Also, from what we understand of this, it was a planned pregnancy, with
Coyne wanting to have his child. In all likelyhood, everything was planned
and agreed upon in advance. I doubt Coyne was expecting a 72-year-old sperm
donor to be a true father to the child.
And as for the few hours, we also have to remember that she lives in
Toronto and he lived in Montreal.
Deborah
Migicovsky) wrote:
>Also, from what we understand of this, it was a planned pregnancy, with
>Coyne wanting to have his child. In all likelyhood, everything was planned
>and agreed upon in advance. I doubt Coyne was expecting a 72-year-old sperm
>donor to be a true father to the child.
>
>And as for the few hours, we also have to remember that she lives in
>Toronto and he lived in Montreal.
Yeah, there that.
His Will would make an interesting read right now. But in any event a
trust fund that generates the annual payment Trudeau made for Sarah
in all likelihood winds up when Sarah reaches the age of majority and
the capital goes to her. She'll be off to a good start in life, if
that's the case.
Deborah
CPJ2000
> Deborah spread those long luscious legs and gave birth to...
>
> >On 08 Oct 2000 16:26:44 GMT, jule...@aol.com (Juleelou) wrote:
> >
> >>> The court documents show this rich and celebrated Canadian gave Coyne
> >>>$1,200 a month to help offset Sarah's expenses. Coyne received "$14,400
> >>>tax-free annually from a trust established for her child from a prior
> >>>relationship," the court records show.
> >>
> >>How much was Trudeau worth???
> >
> >Trudeau was a multimillionaire, but Canadian courts don't take men to
> >the cleaners over paternity just because they are rich. The only time
> >you'll see a huge amount being ordered is in a divorce situation where
> >the wife and children have been living a certain lifestyle for years,
> >and are thought to be entitled to continue to live the lifestyle to
> >which they are accustomed. Trudeau never even lived with this woman.
> >
> >I see no indication that the payments he made were made pursuant to
> >any court order. Sounds like he voluntarily coughed up, and quite
> >generously viz a viz what a court WOULD have ordered - probably less.
> >
> >A few hours visitation every six weeks is better than a lot of men in
> >his situation would do.
>
> Also, from what we understand of this, it was a planned pregnancy, with
> Coyne wanting to have his child. In all likelyhood, everything was planned
> and agreed upon in advance. I doubt Coyne was expecting a 72-year-old sperm
> donor to be a true father to the child.
>
> And as for the few hours, we also have to remember that she lives in
> Toronto and he lived in Montreal.
At the time Sarah was conceived, Deborah lived in Ottawa, not Toronto -- in my
former apartment building, in fact.
CPJ2000
Marilyn Mosher
Marilyn
David Migicovsky
>Yesterday's National Post says that the estate is divided in thirds. FWIW.
>
>Marilyn
>
Well that seems fair then. As for the child support, her mother was quite
capable of supporting her on her own at an above average rate. Certainly
with mom spending an equal amount, at $2400 a month spent on her care, she
would not be a child lacking for any of the necessities of life.
Certainly with the inheritance she, like the boys, can do anything she
wants with her life, just as their father could. It's interesting that none
of his sons have chosen to trade off his name -- had either chosen a career
in law, both could have made a lot off money by being a partner in a law
firm or on boards of directors. Both chose professions that can also be
considered, in their own way, public service, especially if the person has
no financial need.