Hockey Canada wants to “regain the trust” of Canadians. To do this, the federation has hired former Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell to lead the review of its governance.
Posted at 12:46 p.m.
“Once completed, the review will lead to recommendations as to potential changes or improvements to the governance of the organization,” the statement read.
This work is “undertaken on behalf of the board of directors”, indicates the federation, and “is an integral part of Hockey Canada’s action plan”.
The scandals have multiplied in recent weeks for Hockey Canada. There were allegations of gang rape against a young woman from London, Ontario, against eight players mostly from the 2018 national junior team. An agreement was quickly settled out of court, before the he affair came to light last May thanks to the work of TSN journalist Rick Westhead.
Another story of alleged gang rape, this time involving the 2003 Canadian junior team, then surfaced. Players allegedly filmed themselves sexually assaulting a woman on the sidelines of the World Junior Championship, held in Halifax that year.
the Globe and Mail also revealed that the organization had regularly used, over the years, a special fund to compensate victims of sexual violence.
Since then, political and financial pressure has descended on Canada’s most popular sports federation, which finally admitted its wrongdoing in July.
Hockey Canada executives appeared at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage hearings on July 27, where it was revealed that over 33 years, 22 victims of sexual assault have shared up to $12.45 million in compensation from the organization.
Thomas Cromwell will therefore have to judge, under an “independent review”, whether the leaders of Hockey Canada can remain in office. CEO Scott Smith, who has been with the organization since 1997, is hanging on despite the turmoil.
Cromwell will be supported by lawyers Victoria Prince and Nadia Effendi, from the prestigious firm Borden Ladner Gervais.