Warning: This story contains graphic details that some readers may find disturbing
MPs summoned Hockey Canada executives before a parliamentary committee this week and made them swear under oath to tell the truth about an explosive scandal rocking the sports world.
The controversy began in May when Hockey Canada reached a settlement with a young woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted in London, Ontario. in 2018 by eight Canadian Hockey League (CHL) hockey players, including members of the World Junior Team.
Hockey Canada CFO Brian Cairo told MPs the organization settled the case because it was the “right thing” for the complainant and his organization.
“We didn’t know all the details of the night, but we believed that harm was done,” Cairo said Wednesday.
The CHL said that if the players are found to have violated the law, they will face criminal penalties and serious sanctions from the league.
As more and more critics call for Hockey Canada’s leaders to resign, the organization’s president and CEO Scott Smith said he will not step down unless told to by the board of directors. Addressing the committee on Wednesday, he acknowledged that “many of the actions we are taking now should have been taken sooner and faster.”
For the past two months, Sport Canada – an arm of the federal heritage department – has frozen its funding for Hockey Canada. Sponsors dropped out and another, earlier sexual assault allegation surfaced.
Conservative MP John Nater stands up during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Halifax police have launched an investigation into an allegation of separate gang sexual assault involving hockey players in 2003.
TSN reports that a source contacted Conservative MP John Nether and described video footage showing about six players, who were with Canada’s world junior team at the time, having sex with an unresponsive woman lying face down up on a pool table.
WATCH: Hockey Canada has paid 21 sexual misconduct settlements since 1989
Hockey Canada has paid 21 sexual misconduct settlements since 1989
Hockey Canada officials have revealed that the organization has paid out nearly $9 million in settlements since 1989 to 21 people accused of sexual misconduct.
During seven hours of testimony about Hockey Canada’s handling of the alleged 2018 case this week, the minister responsible for Sport Canada and Hockey Canada management revealed new information about the allegations, what they knew and the scope of the problem of organizational culture.
Here’s what you need to know.
What are the charges?
A woman, who was in her 20s at the time, alleged that eight unnamed CHL players, including some from Canada’s under-20 world hockey team, sexually assaulted her on June 19, 2018, according to her lawsuit. filed in a $3.5 million lawsuit in April 2022.
The World Junior Champs were in London, Ontario. at the time as part of a Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf event.
The woman claims an unnamed hockey player bought her alcoholic drinks at a local bar. She claims she became visibly intoxicated and was seen stumbling and slurring her speech.
The claim alleges that the complainant went to the player’s hotel room and engaged in sexual acts. At some point, the lawsuit says, the player allowed seven others into the room without her “knowledge or consent.” The lawsuit says the men brought “golf clubs with them, knowing it would further frighten and intimidate her.”
Over the course of several hours, according to the lawsuit, the group of hockey players placed their genitals on her face, spanked her bottom, spat on her, ejaculated on her and engaged in vaginal intercourse while she was too drunk to consent.
The young woman said she cried at times and tried to leave the room, but was “directed, manipulated and intimidated into staying,” her statement of claim says.
“Any reasonable person acting reasonably would lock it [she] did not freely consent under the circumstances and would have terminated the detention of [her] and sexual conduct toward her,” the lawsuit states.
The claim states that after the sexual assault ended, the players filmed the young woman, instructed her to say she was sober and told her to take a shower.
The lawsuit also alleges the players pressured the young woman not to report the allegations or cooperate with a police investigation.
Hockey Canada’s handling of a sexual-abuse claim since 2018 has led critics to call for the organization’s leaders to step down. (@HockeyCanada/Twitter)
Hockey Canada is accused in the lawsuit of failing to address systemic abuse within its organization and of condoning “a culture and environment that glorifies the degradation and sexual exploitation of young women.”
The allegations have not been proven in court. Hockey Canada did not file a written defence.
CBC News contacted the woman’s lawyer, who said she has not commented publicly on the case. Hockey Canada has since announced an action plan for change what it calls its “toxic” culture.
How much compensation did the complainant receive?
In her claim, the young woman asked for around $3.5 million in damages.
Smith said Hockey Canada’s board of directors has agreed to pay the plaintiff up to $3.5 million.
As part of the settlement, the woman signed a nondisclosure agreement that places strict limits on what she can say about the matter.
Who is charged?
The accused players have not been publicly named.
There were about 22 players in the 2018 world junior team and all of them had signed professional contracts. Two players from the team returned to the CHL.
A third-party investigator hired by Hockey Canada to look into the matter told lawmakers that the players’ lawyer said they feared they would be prejudged as guilty.
Multiple players from the team have released statements since May saying they were not at the event in London, were not involved in what happened, or had no knowledge of what happened.
What happened to the criminal investigation?
London police closed their investigation into the 2018 allegations in February 2019 without laying any criminal charges.
After public outrage, London’s police chief announced last week that he would carry out an internal review to “determine what, if any, further avenues of investigation exist”.
What happened to the Hockey Canada investigation?
Hockey Canada contacted the well-known criminal defense firm Henein Hutchison for legal advice on June 19, 2018, after learning of the allegations. The firm advised Hockey Canada to contact the police.
Two days later, according to the law firm, Hockey Canada hired the firm to conduct a third-party investigation with a mandate to uncover the truth and identify any systemic or policy issues.
One of the firm’s partners, Danielle Robitaille, led the investigation and said in 2018 she interviewed 10 of the 19 players who attended the event, along with coaches and staff. Nine of the players – along with the complainant – said they would not participate in the law firm’s investigation until the police investigation was complete.
WATCH: Hockey Canada to ban players who don’t cooperate with investigation, lawyer says
Lawyer Daniel Robitaille says Hockey Canada will ban players not involved in the investigation
Robitaille appeared before a House of Commons standing committee looking into allegations of sexual abuse in sport. Robitaille said the lawyer for eight of the nine players she did not speak to told her they were concerned about being sued beforehand by Hockey Canada.
When the criminal case ended, Robital said she focused for 18 months on convincing the complainant to participate in her investigation.
The firm closed its investigation in September 2020 “without prejudice to reopening it later” because the complainant refused to provide her account of what happened, Robitaille said.
Robitaille said she concluded she should not interview the other players without speaking to the complainant because “I needed her version of events to move my investigation forward.”
Henein Hutchison reopened the investigation in July after the complainant said she was willing to take part. The applicant then provided a statement to the law firm.
What does Sport Canada know?
Hockey Canada told Sport Canada about the allegation in 2018, but the department never informed the office of the federal minister of sport.
About a week before Sport Canada was notified of the alleged 2018 incident, then-Sports Minister Kirsty Duncan announced a new directive ordering all federally funded sports organizations to disclose to her office “any incident of harassment, abuse or discrimination that may to compromise the project or programming.”
Michel Ruest, Sport Canada’s senior director, told MPs that no one at Sport Canada notified the minister’s office about the case or followed up with Hockey Canada over the past four years to find out what happened.
The current sports minister, Pascal Saint-Onge, said she was unaware of the allegations until this year. St-Onge announced in June that going forward Sport Canada would be required to inform her of any such allegations.
WATCH: Sport Canada aware of allegations back in 2018
Sport Canada was aware of Hockey Canada’s allegations as early as 2018
Sport Canada, a federal department, was aware in 2018 of allegations of sexual misconduct at Hockey Canada but did not investigate, an official told a House of Commons committee. Meanwhile, the federal sports minister testified that she was not informed until last year.
How much has Hockey Canada paid to settle sexual assault claims?
Hockey Canada has paid $8.9 million to 21 complainants since 1989. This figure does not include the settlement related to the 2018 alleged gang sexual assault case.
Most of the money — $6.8 million…
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