Mike Smith, pictured here in 2009, stepped away as managing director of Trailer Park Boys Inc. last year.Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press
A Nova Scotia judge dismissed a sexual-assault charge on Thursday against Mike Smith, the actor best known as Bubbles on Trailer Park Boys.
Halifax Regional Police charged Mr. Smith a year ago in connection with an assault alleged to have occurred in December, 2017. A three-day trial was scheduled to begin Thursday. But after the Crown said it would not present any evidence, defence lawyer Stan MacDonald asked the judge to dismiss the case and succeeded.
“Mr. Smith is pleased that this matter is now behind him, and he’s ready to move forward,” Mr. MacDonald said in an interview.
One reason for the Crown’s lack of evidence was that the complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, declined to testify. She said in a statement to The Globe and Mail that doing so would be detrimental to her mental health, and that it was clear to her that her testimony would need to play a large part in order to proceed.
“I know what happened on the night of 2017. My stepping away from the case does not change the facts of that incident. Rather, it is a gesture of reclaiming my agency after investigating options within a system that strips me of my voice.”
The complainant broadly critiqued how sexual assault allegations are handled in the criminal justice system, saying evidence hinges almost exclusively on the testimony of the survivor, which is retraumatizing – while the accused seldom speak and defense lawyers may even insinuate that the survivor asked for it. “Victims are set up to lose,” she wrote.
Trailer Park Boys Inc., which produces the long-running comedy show, said last year that Mr. Smith would step away as a managing director. On Thursday, the company issued a brief statement saying, “Now that he is cleared of this matter, Mike is resuming his responsibilities with Trailer Park Boys Incorporated.” The company said it would not comment further.
Trailer Park Boys is one of Nova Scotia’s most well-known cultural exports. The show has been airing since 2001, first on Showcase and, more recently, on Netflix after Mr. Smith and fellow lead actors Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay acquired rights to the show. There have also been numerous tie-in movies and events.
Production wrapped last year on a 13th season, produced in association with Blink49 Studios. Though the season was to be released in conjunction with the show’s 25th anniversary in spring 2026, it has not aired.