He shares many of these same sentiments. Trudeau lashed out at the federation’s leadership on Tuesday after revelations that it maintains a fund intended to deal with sexual abuse allegations. “I think right now it’s hard for anybody in Canada to believe or trust anybody in Hockey Canada,” he told reporters at an event in Bowen Island, BC. “What we are learning is absolutely unacceptable.” Hockey Canada has been under intense scrutiny since May, when news broke that the organization quietly facilitated a lawsuit filed by a woman who claims she was assaulted by eight unnamed players, including members of the country’s 2018 world junior team. after a gala in London, Ont., four years ago. The agency has since cut off federal funding over its handling of the case and settlement, and some companies have stopped giving sponsorship dollars. Trudeau, who added that the situation is “absolutely outrageous” when responding in French, said government support would remain frozen “pending significant reforms, transparency and accountability.” The Canadian Press first reported Monday that Hockey Canada is keeping the fund — which comes from membership fees collected across the country — to pay for uninsured liabilities, including sexual abuse claims. The detail was included in a July 2021 affidavit sworn by Glen McCurdie, who was then Hockey Canada’s vice-president of insurance and risk management, as part of a lawsuit brought by an injured player in Ontario. “Hockey Canada maintains a reserve in a separate account to pay for any such uninsured liabilities as they arise,” said McCurdie’s affidavit, which goes on to say that “uninsured liabilities include potential claims for historical sexual abuse.” Hockey Canada confirmed in a statement Tuesday that it has a so-called “National Equity Fund” to cover a “wide range of costs related to safety, wellness and fairness initiatives.” “The fund is also used to pay the organization’s insurance premiums and to cover any claims not otherwise covered by insurance policies, including those related to personal injury, harassment and sexual harassment,” the statement said. Hockey Canada added that the fund “was established in a manner consistent with reserves maintained by other major national organizations.” “When I think about the culture that apparently permeates the highest ranks of this organization, I can understand why so many parents, why so many Canadians who are so proud of our national winter sport, are absolutely disgusted by what’s going on,” Trudeau said. he said on Tuesday. “As a government, we will continue to unequivocally condemn what we learn. “And mainly to our demands that things change significantly.” Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith testified before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in Ottawa last month that no government money was used to settle the alleged assault, both first reported by TSN in May. The woman was seeking more than $3.5 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the unidentified players. None of the allegations have been proven in court. St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas, a member of the 2018 world junior team, released a statement on social media Tuesday saying he had no involvement in the alleged incident. Four other team members — Cale Makar, Victor Mete, Conor Timmins and Jonah Gadjovich — also publicly said they were not involved. McCurdy, who retired in December, was absent from committee proceedings last month due to the death of his father, but was invited by the committee for a further round of meetings scheduled to begin next Tuesday. Hockey Canada released a carefully worded open letter last week with a series of promises, including a pledge to reopen an incomplete third-party investigation into the alleged assault and a full governance review. “We know we have not done enough to address the actions of some members of the 2018 junior national team or end the culture of toxic behavior within our game,” Hockey Canada wrote last week. “For that we apologize unreservedly.” Smith, who took over for Tom Renney as CEO on July 1, testified in Parliament last month that Hockey Canada has reported a total of three sexual-assault complaints in recent years, but would not discuss the other two before the committee. He added that there had been as many as two allegations of sexual misconduct each of the past five or six years. Hockey Canada said in its open letter that player participation in the third-party investigation into the London incident will be mandatory — unlike before — and that anyone who refuses will be barred from all activities and programs. Smith testified last month “12 or 13” of the 19 players were interviewed before the initial and incomplete investigation concluded in September 2020. The woman’s lawyer said in an email last week that his client, who did not participate in the initial investigation or speak to police, “will be participating in the Hockey Canada investigation.” The NHL also conducts an investigation because some of the players are in the league, but does not make participation mandatory. “I’m very, very concerned about the culture, which obviously has reached the highest levels of the organization,” Trudeau said Tuesday of Hockey Canada in French. “It’s important — really critical — that there’s a new approach and that there’s oversight, responsibility, accountability.” With files from Amy Smart in Bowen Island, BC This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 19, 2022.
Lemire also told me that depending on how Hockey Canada’s July 26-27 hearings go, he may request additional hearing dates from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to continue investigating the allegations and will consider ask former CHL players to testify. — Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 19, 2022 This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 19, 2022.
