Hockey Canada execs testify in heated sex scandal committee

Hockey Canada was back in the hot seat on Tuesday, Oct. 4 as a combative committee hearing over the organization’s handling of sexual assault allegations was held.

The testimony of two Hockey Canada representatives came a day after a reports of a second fund that may be used to cover assault claims came to light.

Members of parliament (MPs) questioned the past and current chairs of the organization for two hours, with those officials defending their choices through this controversy.

Interim chair Andrea Skinner says Hockey Canada took the right steps to deal with these claims, saying the media is mischaracterizing this second fund and that it is not a Hockey Canada asset.

She adds toxic behaviour is not limited to hockey, suggesting the organization is being unfairly targeted.

“Suggesting that toxic behaviour is somehow a specific hockey problem or to scapegoat hockey as a centrepiece for toxic culture is, in my opinion, counterproductive to finding solutions,” she said.

Skinner also rejects the idea of firing executives, despite a wave of criticism for the organization.

“Our board frankly does not share the view that senior leadership should be replaced on the basis of what we consider to be substantial misinformation and unduly cynical attacks,” she added.

“Our board does not share the view that Hockey Canada should be making more leadership changes at this time. As a board, we continue to support the chief executive officer (CEO) and management.”

However, MPs argue that contradicts the facts, since Hockey Canada defended this fund in court and contributed $7 million to it.

MPs, including Chair of the Committee Hedy Fry, expressed frustration with the answers they heard.

“There doesn’t seem, amongst the witnesses, to be a sense of accountability,” the Liberal MP said.

Meanwhile, the federal minister for sport says she’s agreed to a New Democratic Party (NDP) request to expand the audit into Hockey Canada.

“Everything related to public funding, we are going to go back to 2016,” Pascale St-Onge said, though it’s unclear when this review will be completed.