Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the posturing of Hockey Canada — an organization accused of mishandling allegations of gang rapes — “boggles the mind,” while the federal sports minister says it’s time for members of the embattled organization to “clean the house.”
Pressure is mounting on ice hockey’s national governing body for a change in its leadership after a widely-panned appearance by one of its executives in front of a parliamentary committee Tuesday.
Interim board chair Andrea Skinner defended Hockey Canada, saying it has an “excellent reputation” and arguing against scapegoating “hockey as a centrepiece for toxic culture.”
Skinner said Hockey Canada won’t be making any managerial changes, defying a request from federal Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge — who has said she believes mass resignations at the governing body are necessary to restore public trust.
Andrea Skinner, interim chair of the board of directors at Hockey Canada, appears virtually as a witness before the heritage committee in Ottawa on Tuesday. She said the organization won’t be making any managerial changes. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
“I think that would be very impactful in a negative way to all of our boys and girls who are playing hockey,” Skinner said Tuesday.
“Will the lights stay on at the rink? I don’t know. We can’t predict that. To me, it’s not a risk worth taking.”
That response seemed to mystify the prime minister.
“I think it — it boggles the mind that Hockey Canada is continuing to dig in its heels,” he said Wednesday before heading into a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill.
“Parents across the country are losing faith or have lost faith in Hockey Canada. Certainly, politicians here in Ottawa have lost faith in Hockey Canada.”
Hockey Québec cuts ties
At least one regional federation has heeded St-Onge’s call for change.
Hockey Québec voted Tuesday night to cut ties with Hockey Canada in the wake of new allegations against the sporting body.
The Globe and Mail, citing documents obtained by the newspaper, reported Monday that Hockey Canada put player registration fees toward a second fund “for matters including but not limited to sexual abuse.”
WATCH | Calls for leadership change:
Trudeau, sport minister call for Hockey Canada leadership change
4 hours ago
Duration 8:50
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge have thrown their support behind Hockey Québec’s decision to cut ties with Hockey Canada following new allegations against the sporting body.
In a resolution first obtained by La Presse, Quebec’s provincial hockey federation states that it no longer has “confidence in the ability of Hockey Canada to act effectively to change the culture of hockey with the structure in place.”
It also said it will no longer transfer funds to the national organization.
“I think the decision that Hockey Québec took shows that reform [is] being engaged. It also sends the message to the leaders at the organization that are holding on to their jobs that Hockey Canada doesn’t belong to them, it also belongs to their members and they want change,” St-Onge said Wednesday.
“Since the leaders of Hockey Canada are holding on to their jobs, the voting members need to clean the house.”
CBC News has reached out to the other 12 regional hockey organizations for comment.
The executive director of the Ontario Hockey Federation said the group is monitoring the situation.
Singh says Hockey Canada testimony was ‘appalling’
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he is ‘shocked at the complete lack of understanding’ within Hockey Canada of public outrage over sexual assault cases in the sport.
Phillip McKee said the group already had requested through Michael Brind’Amour, the former chair of Hockey Canada’s board of directors (who has since resigned), that Hockey Canada not collect the $3 participant assessment fee for the 2022-2023 season.
“He confirmed he would take it to the board of directors. It is our understanding now that this request was never directed to the board before his departure. Based on this information, the OHF has once again, reaffirmed our formal request,” McKee wrote in an email to CBC News.
“The OHF remains committed to protecting the game of hockey on and off the ice this season for our members. We are also committed to being transparent about our operations to our members, the communities, volunteers, families and players who rely us to play the game they love.”
A spokesperson for Hockey Saskatchewan says it has “no comment at this time.”
Hockey Nova Scotia said its board of directors will meet next week to review next steps.
Hockey Canada has faced a torrent of criticism over its secretive use of player registration fees and other investments to compensate sexual assault complainants.
This summer, after a number of news outlets broke stories about the existence of these funds, Hockey Canada revealed it had paid out $8.9 million in settlements to 21 complainants with sexual misconduct claims since 1989.
Through a review of public records, CBC’s The Fifth Estate has identified at least 15 cases of alleged group sexual assault involving junior hockey players that have been investigated by police since 1989 — half of which surfaced in the past decade.
Anatomy of a Scandal
Hockey Canada is on the defensive over allegations that some members of its gold-medal winning World Junior team in 2018 took part in a group sexual assault, and the organization didn’t do enough to hold players accountable. The Fifth Estate examines the national shame inside Canada’s game, and the disturbing history that suggests this was not an isolated incident.
Conservative MP John Nater, a member of the Commons heritage committee, said he hopes other provincial organizations follow Hockey Quebec’s lead.
“I think we need meaningful change at the top of Hockey Canada. Obviously, the CEO has to go and other management has to go as well,” he said before his own party’s Wednesday caucus meeting.
“Right now, we need to put pressure on the organization, we need to put pressure on the 13 voting members to ensure that there’s a board in place that’s going to make those meaningful changes at the top.”
His Conservative caucus colleague MP Kevin Waugh, a former television sports journalist, called Hockey Canada’s response to calls for a change in management “arrogant.”
“They’ve doubled down and it’s disgusting, really,” he said, before citing Hockey Canada’s decision to hire Navigator, a crisis management firm, to help it deal with the wave of bad press.
“They spent a lot of money on Navigator. It’s a company that’s trying to put the narrative of that they’re great guys, nothing’s wrong, we’re going to change, everything will be fine. But that’s not the case.”
MP calls Skinner’s comments ‘Trump-like’
Skinner’s appearance before the heritage committee on Tuesday triggered bewilderment, sometimes even laughter, among the assembled MPs — who, despite their partisan differences, were universally critical of Hockey Canada at the meeting.
Bloc Québécois MP Sébastien Lemire said Hockey Canada is “living in a bubble” and is “disconnected” from public opinion.
Nater read aloud excerpts from Hockey Canada board meeting minutes that showed the organization was intent on “shifting the narrative” around the scandal.
“Settlement payments must be viewed in a positive manner, not a negative manner. Repetition required to state the narrative,” Nater read from the minutes.
Pascale St-Onge, the federal minister of sport, speaks with reporters before question period in the foyer of the House of Commons on Tuesday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
The Ontario MP told the committee he found “it deeply troubling that the organization is more concerned with shifting the narrative than actually meaningfully implementing change within this organization.”
Skinner, a lawyer by training, said the media was trying to turn the public against Hockey Canada and its leadership team by publishing stories critical of its handling of violent sexual assault in the sport.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather described Skinner’s efforts to blame the media and MPs for her organization’s woes as “Trump-like.”
Audit of spending approved
St. Onge has agreed to audit Hockey Canada’s finances over the past six years in response to allegations that the sports body’s directors availed themselves of high-cost hotels, dinners and jewelry.
Last month, NDP MP Peter Julian wrote to the minister asking her to “make sure that Hockey Canada uses government funds and hockey parents’ registration fees in an accountable and transparent manner.”
Questioned by Julian before the committee, Brind’Amour confirmed that championship rings for board members cost $3,000 each.
“I believe this is a situation that arises when our national teams have the good fortune to win a championship,” Brind’Amour said.
MPs across party lines demand new leadership at Hockey Canada
Today, all parties grilled the interim chair of Hockey Canada’s board of directors, Andrea Skinner. Federal MPs, as well as Minister for Sport Pascale St-Onge are demanding change in the leadership of the organization, something Skinner said she has no plans to do.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — David Lipsky shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday at Silverado Country Club to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Procore Championship.
Winless in 104 events since joining the PGA Tour in 2022, Lipsky went out with the early groups and had eight birdies with one bogey to kick off the FedEx Cup Fall series at the picturesque course in the heart of Napa Valley wine country.
After missing the cut in his three previous tournaments, Lipsky flew from Las Vegas to Arizona to reunite with his college coach at Northwestern to get his focus back. He also spent time playing with some of the Northwestern players, which helped him relax.
“Just being around those guys and seeing how carefree they are, not knowing what’s coming for them yet, it’s sort of nice to see that,” Lipsky said. “I was almost energized by their youthfulness.”
Patton Kizzire and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back. Kizzire started on the back nine and made a late run with three consecutive birdies to move into a tie for first. A bogey on No. 8 dropped him back.
“There was a lot of good stuff out there today,” Kizzire said. “I stayed patient and just went through my routines and played well, one shot at a time. I’ve really bee working hard on my mental game and I think that allowed me to rinse and repeat and reset and keep playing.”
Mark Hubbard was at 67. He had nine birdies but fell off the pace with a bogey and triple bogey on back-to-back holes.
Kevin Dougherty also was in the group at 67. He had two eagles and ended his afternoon by holing out from 41 yards on the 383-yard, par-4 18th.
Defending champion Sahith Theegala had to scramble for much of his round of 69.
Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open in 2023 and the AT&T at Pebble Beach in February, had a 70.
Max Homa shot 71. The two-time tournament champion and a captain’s pick for the President’s Cup in two weeks had two birdies and overcame a bogey on the par-4 first.
Stewart Cink, the 2020 winner, also opened with a 71. He won The Ally Challenge last month for his first PGA Tour Champions title.
Three players from the Presidents Cup International team had mix results. Min Woo Lee shot 68, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., 69 and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., 73. International team captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., also had a 69.
Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., had a 68, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., shot 70 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., had a 71.
Lipsky was a little shaky off the tee for much of the afternoon but made up for it with steady iron play that left him in great shape on the greens. He had one-putts on 11 holes and was in position for a bigger day but left five putts short.
Lipsky’s only real problem came on the par-4 ninth when his approach sailed into a bunker just shy of the green. He bounced back nicely with five birdies on his back nine. After missing a 19-foot putt for birdie on No. 17, Lipsky ended his day with a 12-foot par putt.
That was a big change from last year when Lipsky tied for 30th at Silverado when he drove the ball well but had uneven success on the greens.
“Sometimes you have to realize golf can be fun, and I think I sort of forgot that along the way as I’m grinding it out,” Lipsky said. “You’ve got to put things in perspective, take a step back. Sort of did that and it seems like it’s working out.”
Laird stayed close after beginning his day with a bogey on the par-4 10th. The Scot got out of the sand nicely but pushed his par putt past the hole.
Homa continued to have issues off the tee and missed birdie putts on his final four holes.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic is moving on to the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open.
The Mississauga, Ont., native defeated the tournament top seed, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) in the round of 16 on Thursday.
Stakusic faced a 0-4 deficit in the third and final set before marching back into the match.
The 19-year-old won five of the next six games to even it up before exchanging games to force a tiebreaker, where Stakusic took complete control to win the match.
Stakusic had five aces with 17 double faults in the three-hour, four-minute match.
However, she converted eight of her 18 break-point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
