Abused this week in parliamentary committee, in the wake of the scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, the interim president of the board of directors of the organization, Andrea Skinner, submitted her resignation on Saturday.
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“After careful consideration and in light of recent events, it no longer seems reasonable to me to continue volunteering my time as interim president or administrator for the organization,” Ms. Skinner wrote in a Hockey statement. Canada of which Le Journal obtained a copy.
“The board wishes Andrea much success and thanks her for her involvement with Hockey Canada,” it also read.
Andrea Skinner’s resignation is effective immediately. She had held this position on an interim basis since the departure last August of Michael Brind’Amour.
Other meetings will take place during the weekend to discuss other changes and reforms within the organization, it is also indicated.
The sports federation has had another harrowing week. She was already heavily criticized for settling various sexual assault complaints against her players, including one for a gang rape that allegedly occurred in 2018 and involved members of the Canada junior team.
Andrea Skinner declared in parliamentary committee that the director general of the organization, Scott Smith, deserved the note of “A” for his management of the crisis.
–The Globe and Mail revealed the existence of a second compensation fund worth millions for the settlement of sexual lawsuits, which Ms. Skinner denied under oath in parliamentary committee.
Many prestigious sponsors then dropped Hockey Canada, including TELUS, Canadian Tire and Nike.
Provincial federations, including Hockey Quebec, have decided to suspend their dues to Hockey Canada.
Bloc Québécois MP Sébastien Lemire believes that “Ms. Skinner made the decision she had to make”.
Representative of the riding of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and spokesman for his political party in matters of Sports, Mr. Lemire has not been kind to the organization since the start of the scandal.
He reiterated this week his demand that a public inquiry be held.
“Now, for the good of all, the spring cleaning must continue within Hockey Canada,” he also told the Log.
” Facelift “
This major cleaning, it concerns in particular the general manager Scott Smith.
Tuesday, at the end of Ms. Skinner’s appearance before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge was particularly incisive towards the leaders of the organization.
“At this point, with the current management, I have no hope of seeing Hockey Canada reinvent itself on its own,” she said. This is why I am asking the 13 voting members to impose this change within the organization. »
Several deputies had also deplored the lack of transparency of the federation. During the meeting, Andrea Skinner called the reports about Hockey Canada “cynical” and accused the media of “disinformation”.
– With Axel Marchand-Lamothe and the QMI Agency
Earlier in the day on Saturday, CBC reported that the election of Hockey Canada’s new board, scheduled for mid-November, has been pushed back to December 17.