Updated yesterday at 4:27 p.m.
April 2022
In the summer of 2018, after a Hockey Canada gala, eight junior hockey players (including some from the national junior team) allegedly sexually assaulted a young woman. Last Aprilthe alleged victim is suing Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the eight players for $3.5 million.
May 2022
In May, a month later, Hockey Canada settles the whole thing out of court, an amicable settlement that will allow the players to avoid a trial for sex crimes. According to TSN, which unveiled the case, the complainant is satisfied with the outcome. However, this regulation raises questions of public interest. Has Hockey Canada, which is partially funded by the government, paid monetary compensation?
June 2022
Convened by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the June 20 last, Hockey Canada provided “rather disappointing” explanations in the eyes of the Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, who accused the organization of “perpetuating the culture of silence”.
The check for the settlement, the amount of which is unknown, was signed by Hockey Canada “on behalf of all of the defendants” – meaning that the hockey players involved did not pay anything, according to Scott Smith, president of the Hockey Canada Foundation, said.
Another revelation: Hockey Canada did not require any of its players to participate in the independent internal investigation.
Two days later, that is June 22Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge suspends federal funding to Hockey Canada, in light of testimony from senior officials of the organization.
The June 28 and 29Scotiabank, Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire, major partners of Hockey Canada, are suspending their ties with the organization.
July 2022
The public’s anger, the grumbling of elected officials and the pressure of sponsors finally made Hockey Canada bend, the July 14th last. The leaders admitted their wrongs. At the same time, they agreed to reopen the investigation into the eight players of the 2018 national junior team, targeted by allegations of gang rape.
the July 19the organization confirmed that it maintains a “national equity fund” which covers a “wide range of expenses related to safety, wellbeing and equity initiatives in [l’]organization “. The next day, leaders announced that this fund would no longer be used to settle sexual assault cases.
the 22nd of July, police in London, Ont., have reopened their investigation into a gang rape that allegedly occurred in 2018 after a Hockey Canada Foundation banquet. On the same day, Hockey Canada revealed that a gang rape was allegedly committed in Halifax in 2003.
An action plan “to end the culture of silence and toxic behavior in hockey” was presented by Hockey Canada on July 25.
In the same week, Hockey Canada officials appeared at the hearings of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the July 27where it was revealed that over 33 years, 22 sexual assault victims have shared up to $12.45 million in restitution from the organization.