Police in London, Ont., have ordered an internal review of their investigation into an alleged gang rape involving members of the Canadian team who took part in the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship. was no longer going to use a fund created from membership dues to settle cases of sexual assault.
London Police Chief Steve Williams said in a statement that his department’s review will determine whether “other lines of inquiry may exist”. He said, however, that the original investigation, which concluded without charges being laid, was “long and detailed”.
The pressure increased this week when The Canadian Press reported that Hockey Canada is maintaining an emergency fund from registration fees collected across the country for uninsurable risks, such as cases of sexual abuse.
This information is included in an affidavit filed in July 2021 in a lawsuit filed in Ontario by an injured player.
“Hockey Canada maintains a reserve in a separate account to pay uninsured liabilities as they arise,” the affidavit states, which also confirms that “uninsured liabilities include potential claims for past sexual abuse. “.
Hockey Canada has confirmed that it has such a fund. “The fund is also used to pay the organization’s insurance premiums and to cover any claims not covered by insurance policies, including those related to physical injury, harassment and sexual misconduct,” said specified the federation by press release.
On Wednesday, however, the organization indicated that this fund will no longer be used to settle cases of sexual abuse.
“Effective immediately, the National Equity Fund will no longer be used to settle sexual assault claims. It will be exclusively dedicated to the organization’s safety, well-being and equity initiatives, as well as insurance — from 2014 to 2021, 98% of the fund’s resources have been allocated to these expenses . »
New testimonials
Meanwhile, Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith and his predecessor Tom Renney will be back in Ottawa next week to answer questions from Members of Parliament about their handling of the alleged gang rape and amicable agreement that shakes up their sport.
Smith, Renney, the federation’s former vice-president of insurance and risk management, Glen McCurdie, as well as the president of the Canadian Hockey League, Dan MacKenzie, are scheduled to testify before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage next Wednesday, on Parliament Hill. The bosses of the country’s three major junior leagues — Gilles Courteau, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; David Branch, OHL; WHL’s Ron Robison — were also called up.
Barry Lorenzetti, CEO of BFL Canada, and Dave Andrews, president of the Hockey Canada Foundation, are also scheduled to testify next Wednesday.
Danielle Robitaille of the law firm Henein Hutchison — which conducted the incomplete investigation for Hockey Canada into the alleged incidents — is due to testify Tuesday, as are Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge, as well as leaders of Sport Canada and Heritage Canada.
Hockey Canada banned
Smith, Renney and Andrews testified before the Heritage Canada Standing Committee last month, after TSN first reported the alleged rape and out-of-court settlement.
The consequences of their testimonies, which left several politicians dumbfounded, were immediate.
Hockey Canada has seen its federal funding frozen pending gestures of accountability and transparency. Several corporate partners of the sports federation have also decided to withdraw their marbles.
The NHL is also conducting an investigation since several of these players are now playing within it. However, it did not make participation in the exercise compulsory.
Several players from the 2018 National Junior Team have publicly stated that they were not involved in the alleged incidents or that they were not present at the gala in question, including NHL players Cale Makar, Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Victor Mete, Conor Timmins, Taylor Raddysh and Jonah Gadjovich.
Hockey Canada has been in troubled waters since last May, when it was learned that the federation had quietly settled a lawsuit brought by a woman who alleges she was raped by eight unidentified players, including members of the national junior team, at following a gala held in London in 2018.