Hockey Manitoba wants improvements at Hockey Canada but is confident in current leadership, executive director says
Provincial and territorial hockey federations, including Hockey Manitoba, are calling on Hockey Canada to do more to address its handling of sexual assault allegations in London, Ont. in 2018.
Hockey Manitoba is one of 13 organizations supporting a letter to the sport’s national governing body threatening to withhold the payment of dues from members unless the federations see action to improve the game.
“Our members pay roughly just over $50,” said Peter Woods, Hockey Manitoba’s executive director. “Half of that goes to Hockey Canada, half that stays with the branch here. That’s a last resort.”
“I don’t think that’ll be exercised. I have the utmost confidence in Hockey Canada. They’ve already established or reached some of the things that are actionable within the Action Plan.”
In the letter spearheaded by Hockey Quebec, the 13 provincial and territorial hockey federations said they want more information about how the matter was handled. The group is calling on Hockey Canada to provide a written report on how it will implement an Action Plan aimed at improving the game or it may withhold the membership dues.
A spokesperson for Hockey Canada said while they couldn’t provide a response before deadline they would follow up on questions from CTV News Winnipeg regarding the letter sent by the federations.
Hockey Canada has previously vowed to stop using player fees for sexual abuse settlements and announced a former Supreme Court judge will lead a governance review.
The chair of the board of directors of Hockey Canada stepped down over the weekend, with his term set to expire in November 2022.
Michael Brind’Amour said in a statement issued by Hockey Canada: “actions we have taken in recent weeks are part of the solution.” But he added there’s no need to wait for a new era to address the challenges facing the organization and the sport.
Woods, who heads up Hockey Manitoba, said while he’s confident in the organization and the people who remain in charge at Hockey Canada, there’s room for improvement.
“There’s a lot of talk around the culture of the game and I think that needs to be eliminated,” Woods said. “We want to make sure that everyone that is participating in the game is in a safe environment and I think that’s tantamount for everyone that’s involved.”
As provincial and territorial hockey federations demand answers, parents and participants across the country are debating their future in the sport.
They include Tim Skuce, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at Brandon University, who has researched the impact of hockey culture on elite players and has a 10-year-old in the game.
“Fees were due, the first sign up was the end of July to get a reduced rate and I haven’t signed him up yet,” Skuce said in a Zoom interview from Calgary. “There is a really difficult conversation that we’re having in our home.”
A conversation sparked by Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations made against some members of the 2018 World Junior hockey team and the use of a portion of player registration fees for uninsured payments including for sexual abuse settlements.
The culture of the game is something Skuce has studied closely over the past several years in two separate research projects in which he conducted interviews with elite level players on how hockey impacted their understanding of what it is to be a boy and a man.
He said the findings show more work is needed to root out behaviours such as sexism, homophobia and hyper-masculinity.
“Behaviours that we have seen that are entrenched,” Skuce said. “We interviewed athletes from 18 to 60. So this isn’t just like a micro-episodic thing of just now. This has been a longstanding set of behaviours.”
Skuce said while there’s no one magic solution, he’s cautiously optimistic conversations in the wake of the Hockey Canada controversy will help change behaviours. Changes he feels need to be led from the ground up by parents, coaches, and organizers at minor hockey levels.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.