Sex assault survivors after Hockey Canada executives’ testimony: ‘Get out of the way now’ – National
Hockey Canada and other tournament operators spent three hours before MPs on Wednesday, defending their handling of sexual assault allegations that recently came to light.
Along with calls for Canadian Hockey CEOs resign, former players accused of abuse are speaking out in response to the testimony, calling for more change.
“They aren’t necessarily focused on doing the right thing,” said Greg Gilhooly, an alleged survivor of Winnipeg underage hockey coach and convicted sex offender Graham Jamestold Global News regarding the handling of sexual abuse allegations by Canadian Hockey operators.
James pleaded guilty to abusing two players in 2012, and as part of a plea agreement at the time, the charges related to Gilhooly’s case were dropped.
Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith defended the organization’s handling of the 2018 allegations before the estate commission, saying that the organization made the decision to deal with the complainant’s needs. complaint.
Smith said: “We have made the settlement decision on behalf of Hockey Canada and the other named defendants.
“And we did so it was in the young woman’s best interest to protect her privacy and also her future interests.”
In May, TSN first reported that eight unnamed members of the 2018 world junior team had been charged with group sexual assault after a gala event in London, Ont, that year – and Hockey Canada went negative. quietly settled a lawsuit with the complainant earlier this year.
Global News contacted the agents of all the players on the list at the time of the alleged incident. Several players have since released public statements denying their involvement. Read the full list of replies from the team in this post on globalnews.ca.
Sheldon Kennedy, a former professional ice hockey player who also survived James’ abuse, released a statement Tuesday calling on Smith, as well as management and the board of directors. Canadian Hockey, resigns “immediately”.
“The same person with a new plan expecting different results is the definition of insanity,” he wrote in the statement released on Twitter.
Gilhooly also called for a “failed leadership replacement” ahead of Wednesday’s testimony.
“I think that means anyone at Hockey Canada is going to have to be kicked and yelled at from their office,” Gilhooly said when asked about Smith’s decision not to resign.
Sports Canada learned about the Canadian Hockey allegations in 2018, but did not tell the minister
Speaking to the committee on Wednesday, Smith said Kennedy’s statement was “hard to read” but he still considered Kennedy “high respect”.
“I believe I have the experience to take Hockey Canada and our game to a new position. I believe I have the support of our employees. I believe I have the backing of our board and members,” Smith said.
“I want to take responsibility to put Hockey Canada in a better position.”
For Gilhooly, Smith’s assurances were empty.
“Everybody in Hockey Canada right now says they are in the perfect position to make Canadian Hockey better,” he said.
“If they’re in those positions for the right reasons, they’ll realize they have to get out of the way now.”
Gilhooly was not the only individual to react to what he heard on Wednesday’s committee.
Former professional hockey player, Daniel Carcillo, said his class-action lawsuit was discussed in the committee, “where (he) didn’t have any opportunity to react,” according to one The statement was published through Koskie Minsky LLP, the law firm representing him.
Carcillo was not invited to testify at this week’s hearing, a Liberal MP who sat on the committee confirmed.
In June 2020, Carcillo and former Lethbridge Hurricanes player Garrett Taylor filed a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Carcillo and Taylor are alleged to have experienced systematic infatuation, bullying and sexual assault during their time on the major junior hockey team.
The certification hearing for the lawsuit will take place in November, according to the company prosecuting the proposed class action.
In his statement, Carcillo, whose career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) spanned from 2002 to 2005, said there was a “culture of hate and abuse within the CHL”.
“I believe there is and has long been a system-wide knowledge of this culture. Carcillo says:
CHL Chairman Dan MacKenzie was present at the committee meeting on Wednesday. When asked about Carcillo’s allegations, he said there was “no doubt” teenage hockey had a nasty problem”. But, he said, that was “in the past.”
“As I will say since the mid-2000s, federations haven’t really focused on trying to eliminate that behavior, have come up with many new policies and programs to try to do that and include strong sanctions for that kind of behavior,” MacKenzie said.
The calls for change began following a series of well-known allegations against various players previously associated with Canadian Hockey, starting with the 2018 allegations.
Last week, another allegation surfaced. Canadian Hockey Police and Halifax both confirmed on July 22 that they were investigating an “alleged group sexual assault” – one they said involved members of the hockey championship team. World Children’s Bridge 2002-03.
The backlash against Hockey Canada grew when, last week, reports emerged that the organization maintains a membership fee fund to pay off uninsured debts – including claims sexual abuse.
On July 19, Hockey Canada said it would no longer use the fund for sexual abuse claims.
Between the fund, known as the National Equity Fund, and insurance, Hockey Canada’s chief financial officer said the organization has settled 21 cases and paid out $8.9 million to claimants.
By the end of June, the scandal began to hit the wallet of Hockey Canada. Before the end of the month, Hockey Canada had lost corporate funding and its federal funding had been frozen.
As Canadian Hockey Reopens Investigation of Alleged Sexual Assault, Here’s What 2018 Players Say So Far
Hockey Canada announced a plan on Monday committed to combat any “malicious” behavior in the sport. It includes the implementation of a centralized tracking and reporting system for abuse complaints by the end of September.
Gilhooly hopes the backlash forces real computing – not just lip service.
“Hockey is a world where everyone is focused on protecting the logo on the front of the jersey, and it is not a conducive environment for problem solving and pointing out bad behaviour. when it can really cost the team or the organization,” he said.
“If Canadian Hockey doesn’t get it right, there’s a chance the focus will be lost. I think that’s why it’s important right now to force Hockey Canada to do the right thing and make fundamental change.”
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