Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Former Hockey Canada CEO among those summoned to testify before committee

Share
OTTAWA -

The House of Commons heritage committee has ordered another round of hearings into Hockey Canada's handling of sexual assault claims, with past and present top executives and board chairs summoned to testify.

In a meeting Tuesday, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage agreed to order Hockey Canada interim board of directors chair Andrea Skinner, former chair Michael Brind'Amour and former president and chief executive officer Bob Nicholson to appear at an Oct. 4 hearing.

This is the first time a member of the board of directors has been called to testify, and will also mark the first appearance by Nicholson. Current Hockey Canada president and CEO Scott Smith and Tom Renney, who preceded Smith and succeeded Nicholson in the roles, have testified in two previous hearings.

The committee held the first round of hearings June 20 after news broke of an alleged sexual assault involving players on Canada's world junior team in 2018 after a Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont., and a hushed settlement between the organization and the complainant.

The federal government froze its funding to Hockey Canada two days later, and several corporate sponsors paused their support.

Hockey Canada came under further scrutiny when The Canadian Press reported that it had been using a reserve fund, built in part by hockey registration fees, to settle uninsurable claims including settlement of sexual assault cases.

A second allegation against members of the 2003 junior team surfaced July 22. Another round of parliamentary hearings was held July 26-27, with a multipartisan group of MPs calling for a change in Hockey Canada's leadership.

Skinner took over as board of directors chair after Brind'Amour stepped down Aug. 6 before his term was set to end in November. Shortly after, Hockey Canada released a statement in support of

Smith, who was the focus of much of the MPs questioning in the first two rounds of hearings.

Nicholson was chief executive officer of Hockey Canada from June 1, 1998, until June 1, 2014. He now serves as chairman for the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

Hockey Canada's leadership is currently under a review headed by Supreme Court of Canada judge Thomas Cromwell. which is expected to provide interim recommendations before its annual general meeting in November.

Smith has said he believes he deserves to lead Hockey Canada's executive, but said he is "prepared to accept" the findings of the review.

Also Wednesday, Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge criticized the wording of a survey sent by Hockey Canada to its members asking questions regarding its handling of the allegations.

The questions included whether respondents agreed or disagreed with the statement: "The level of criticism by the media toward Hockey Canada is overblown."

"Asking if it's the media that created this crisis when we're talking about possible rape, multiple times, I think it's underestimating the depth of the problem," St-Onge told reporters in Ottawa.

Hockey Canada said Wednesday the survey was constructed to gauge sentiment and awareness of the issues facing Hockey Canada from members of the hockey community.

"Under no circumstances was Hockey Canada downplaying the challenges facing our organization, or the horrific allegations of sexual assault against former members of the national junior team," the governing body said in a statement. "We have been very clear that we recognize we need to do better and are committed to making the changes necessary to foster a safe and positive environment for all participants on and off the ice."

-- With files from Mia Rabson.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2022.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Childhood sleep issues may raise suicide risk, study finds

If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought — such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected