Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it’s “hard for anyone” to have faith in Hockey Canada’s leadership after revelations this week about the federation maintaining a fund meant to handle sexual misconduct claims.
Speaking to reporters in B.C. on Tuesday, Trudeau said the fund is “absolutely unacceptable.”
“I think right now it’s hard for anyone in Canada to have faith or trust in anyone at Hockey Canada. What we’re learning today is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
“When I think about the culture that is apparently permeating the highest orders of that organization, I can understand why so many parents, why so many Canadians who take such pride in our national winter sport are absolutely disgusted by what’s going on,” Trudeau continued. “And certainly as a government, we will continue to be unequivocal in our condemnation of what we’re learning and mostly in our demands that things change significantly.”
The Canadian Press reported on Monday the existence of Hockey Canada’s fund, citing a July 2021 affidavit sworn by former Hockey Canada vice-president of insurance and risk management Glen McCurdie that said it is used to cover “uninsured liabilities include potential claims for historical sexual abuse.”
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The Globe and Mail on Tuesday reported that Hockey Canada built the fund using revenue from minor hockey registration fees. The news intensified the spotlight under which Hockey Canada has operated since news first broke of a civil settlement in May 2022 stemming from allegations made by a woman who said she was sexually assaulted in June 2018 by eight CHL players, including some members of that year’s Canadian world junior team.
When reached for comment, a Hockey Canada spokesperson told Sportsnet the organization “maintains a National Equity Fund, which covers a broad range of expenses related to safety, wellness and equity initiatives across our organization.”
The statements goes on to read:
“This includes, but is not limited to, counselling and treatment for players, concussion research grants to the Canadian Hockey League, criminal record checks of Hockey Canada staff, donations to Kids Help Phone, as well as a range of safety initiatives. The Fund is also used to pay for the organization’s insurance premiums and to cover any claims not otherwise covered by insurance policies, including those related to physical injury, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
“The Fund was established in a manner consistent with reserve funds maintained by other large national organizations. With that in mind, Hockey Canada has recently announced a full governance review, which will help ensure we are upholding the highest standards Canadians expect and that would include the administration of the fund.”
Last week, Hockey Canada released a “Letter to all Canadians” in which it announced it would reopen its previously incomplete investigation into the 2018 allegations, and would also “retain an independent, third-party expert to fully examine our organization and make recommendations to ensure our governance is geared to the requirements of a national organization of our scope and influence.”
Sportsnet confirmed Tuesday that before this separate fund was set up, any sexual assault claim settlements were handled through insurance. A source with knowledge of Hockey Canada said the fund was created under the leadership of former CEO Tom Renney. Renney retired on July 1 and was replaced by Scott Smith, who is president and COO. (According to sources, his retirement was not prompted by the allegations or investigation.)
According to The Globe and Mail, the federation’s fund “has exceeded $15 million in recent years,” and is “used at Hockey Canada’s discretion and can be deployed to write cheques to cover out-of-court settlements for a variety of claims, including allegations of sexual assault, that are deemed uninsurable or are settled without the participation of its insurer.”
In its statement on Tuesday, Hockey Canada did not directly address the source of the funds.
Hockey Canada’s finances were already under intense scrutiny. When asked during testimony in Ottawa on June 20 about the source of the money used by Hockey Canada in May’s settlement, Smith said the organization “liquidated a portion of our investments to pay for the settlement.”
Last month, Canada’s minister of sport, Pascale St-Onge, announced the freezing of government funding to the federation and called for a forensic audit. The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage also initiated a series of hearings, which began on June 20 and continue with scheduled hearings July 26 and 27 in Ottawa with more witnesses from Hockey Canada being called as well as representatives from the CHL, law firm Henein Hutchison and Hockey Canada’s insurance company.
Liberal MP Chris Bittle, who is part of the Heritage Committee and will be in attendance for Tuesday and Wednesday’s hearings, said there will be “some very difficult questions” facing the organization next week.
“If you’re going to have a fund specifically for sexual assault settlements, we’re going to need greater details, we’re going to need better answers in terms of what’s going on, what’s happening at Hockey Canada,” Bittle told CityNews’ Cormac Mac Sweeney on Tuesday. “What are the decisions behind creating that? What are the decisions that led to creating that, versus broader changes in the culture of the sport and delving deeper into that?”
NDP MP Peter Julian, who also serves on the Heritage Committee, called the existence of the fund “extremely concerning” and said it will be a central focus of next week’s hearings — particularly, he said, when it comes to the estimated number of lawsuits paid out from it.
“Hockey Canada has not been transparent, they have not been accountable,” Julian told Mac Sweeney. “They’re going to have to chance that next week by answering, completely, these questions Canadians have.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
