Racial slurs hurled at Indigenous hockey player
Only a few games into the hockey season, 16-year-old Keagan Gaywish was nearly ready to hang up his skates for good.
The teen said it’s all because of a game between his team, the Minnedosa Erickson Chancellors, and the Swan Valley Tigers on Sunday during which fans from the opposing team hurled racial slurs at him as he left the ice.
“I guess they didn’t think I heard them, but my whole team heard it,” said Keagan. “I just got emotional feeling after that like I didn’t really want to play.”
Keagan’s dad, Roger Brightnose, wasn’t at the game but was horrified to hear what happened. “We sat down with him as soon as he got home, and had a nice chat with him, regarding how some of the people are in this world, and it’s unfortunate that you have to deal with this,” Brightnose said.
The matter was brought to the attention of the teams and schools they’re associated with, which have also been in contact with the family.
The Westman High School Hockey League said the fans have been temporarily suspended from the arena.
“To deal with fans, that’s a school-by-school situation, and I’m glad that they jumped on it right away and dealt with it,” said Corey Forbes from the league.
Going forward the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School said some new protocols will be put in place in Swan River.
They include having a parent from the Swan Valley team sitting behind the visitors’ bench to ensure no inappropriate comments, remarks or gestures are made. In addition, the corridor from the dressing room to the visitors’ bench will be cordoned off to keep minors from interacting with the visiting team.
“We have a little comfort right now knowing that he still wants to go out and play with his teammates and everything. We are a little skeptical, but we’ll wait and see what happens,” Brightnose said.
While it hasn’t even been a week since the incident, Keagan said he is ready to hit the ice again with the support of his family, friends, and teammates.
“Basically, when my friends found out they were mad and they just kept on asking me how I felt throughout the week, and I just told them I was okay,” said Keagan.
The Manitoba High School Athletics Association said it was not made aware of the incident.
The organization said incidents like this are handled at the league level, and also directly between the teams and schools involved.
It said if any party feels the matter has not been dealt with in a satisfactory manner, then the association would be requested.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.