Some large corporations are freezing their Hockey Canada sponsorships.
Scotiabank said Tuesday that the break will last until it is certain that the right steps are taken to improve the culture of the sport.
Retail giant Canadian Tire and telecommunications company Telus followed suit later in the day, both withdrawing support for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.
The breakthrough comes after the federal government froze public funding to the national federation last week in response to its handling of an alleged sexual assault and an out-of-court settlement.
Hockey Canada quietly settled a lawsuit last month after a woman claimed she was assaulted by members of the world junior hockey team who won the country’s gold medal in 2018 at a gala and a feature golf four years ago in London, Ont.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
MIRAR | Hockey Canada loses Scotiabank sponsorship:
Scotiabank Pauses Hockey Canada Sponsorship
Hockey Canada has lost a major sponsorship of Scotiabank after the organization stopped funding for the organization of an alleged sexual assault by eight junior players.
Hockey Canada lawmakers were questioned last week by lawmakers on Parliament Hill during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage that examined the matter.
“Like many of you, I am horrified by recent reports of alleged assaults involving Canada’s youngest game ambassadors,” Scotiabank President and CEO Brian J. Porter wrote in an open letter. “We believe we have a responsibility as hockey lovers and sponsors to contribute to positive change in the sport.
“We are committed to ensuring that hockey is safe, inclusive and accessible.”
Scotiabank stops sponsoring Hockey Canada after recent reports of alleged assaults with younger ambassadors to Canada’s game.
We are committed to ensuring that hockey is safe, inclusive and accessible to all. Read our CEO’s open letter to the Globe & Mail. pic.twitter.com/LEICJ6AH6i
– @scotiabank
Porter said Scotiabank’s marketing and planned events for the 2022 youth world will be canceled, delayed by the pandemic, in August, and investments will be redirected to other programs, including one aimed at helping to remove financial barriers for young people in the women’s game and world championship. .
Canadian Tire said in an emailed statement that the company is “deeply disappointed by Hockey Canada’s lack of transparency and accountability for assault allegations.”
In addition to withdrawing support from the junior world championship, Canadian Tire said it is “reevaluating its relationship with Hockey Canada.”
Canadian Tire is listed as an international marketing partner on the Hockey Canada website and sells a wide range of Team Canada branded merchandise.
“We ask Hockey Canada to do better and fulfill its commitment to change the systemic culture of silence in our nation’s sport and push for it to be more inclusive and safe for everyone,” the retailer said.
Telus is redirecting money from its Canadian Hockey and Youth sponsorship to Canadian organizations that support women affected by sexual violence.
“We are appalled by recent assault reports involving members of the 2018 World Junior Championship team,” the company said in a statement.
Telus said it would continue to support women’s events and programs that support youth in hockey.
“Our values and commitment to creating world-renowned respectful and safe jobs extend to all of our partners, and we are committed to Hockey Canada to understand what specific changes are being made to your organization to drive a positive cultural change and create a safe and inclusive place. hockey experience for all, “Telus said.
Hockey arches Canada
Business development and partnerships previously accounted for 43 per cent of Canada Hockey coffers, according to the organization’s figures, ahead of funding agencies (14 per cent), insurance premiums (13 per cent) ), interest income (10 percent) and the taxpayer. fund (six percent).
Scotiabank said it is making a donation to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, which supports victims of gender-based violence. He also expects Hockey Canada to cooperate fully with the federal government audit and ensure that the company’s funding has been used as intended.
The Canadian Press contacted some of Hockey Canada’s other major corporate partners, such as Esso, Nike and Tim Hortons, to solicit feedback on Scotiabank’s decision to temporarily withdraw its funding cap.
Esso said in a statement that he is “concerned about recent allegations.”
“We are paying close attention to this issue as it develops and we have communicated our expectations to Hockey Canada that concrete steps must be taken immediately to address safety issues and ensure rapid cultural change,” spokesperson Keri wrote. Scobie in an email.
“At the same time, our organization remains committed to supporting Canada’s hockey community and grassroots youth programs across the country.”
Hockey Canada said in a statement Tuesday that it “values” its relationship with Scotiabank, adding that it “respects and understands its decision.”
“Hockey Canada is on a journey to change the culture of our sport and make it safer and more inclusive, both on the court and in our communities,” the statement said. “We’ve been on this journey for a long time, but we agree that it needs to be done more and more quickly.”
Hockey Canada said last week that “more needs to be done” to build a safer culture after a tumultuous week that included President Scott Smith and outgoing CEO Tom Renney that lawmakers called the word.
“We were all waiting for answers to all the questions, the many questions, that we have about how they handled the whole situation when they testified,” federal government sports minister Pascale St-Onge told reporters in Ottawa last Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t received many responses.”
Hockey Canada President and CEO Scott Smith was criticized by lawmakers on Parliament Hill. (Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press)
St-Onge said at the time that Hockey Canada would only restore its public money once officials produced an incomplete report from a law firm hired to investigate the 2018 incident that allegedly involved eight players.
He added that Hockey Canada must also become a signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, a new government agency with the power to independently investigate allegations of abuse and impose sanctions.
The woman who reported the assault, who is now 24, was seeking $ 3.55 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and unnamed players.
Details of the deal have not been made public, but Smith stated that Hockey Canada got the funds, adding that no government money had been used. St-Onge ordered the audit to make sure it is.
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage will meet on July 26 and 27 to hear more witnesses. He has also requested a drafted copy of the non-disclosure agreement related to the out-of-court settlement and a long list of communications from Hockey Canada.
St-Onge has said he only found out about the guard situation with Renney a few days before TSN reported it last month. Hockey Canada said it reported the situation to Sport Canada in June 2018.
Canada’s Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge, seen earlier this month, said Hockey Canada will only be re-funded once it reveals improvement recommendations provided by a third-party law firm hired to investigate the alleged incident. (Justin Tang / The Canadian Press)
Approved the motion of the Bloc Quebecois
The House of Commons unanimously approved a motion by the Bloc Quebecois to conduct an independent investigation that will study how Hockey Canada handled the allegations.
The organization hired Toronto law firm Henein Hutchison LLP to conduct its investigation, but Smith and Renney told lawmakers that even though the players present at the London event left, ” encourage a lot “to participate, was not required.
Smith said 12 or 13 of the 19 players on the world junior team at the London event were interviewed by Hockey Canada researchers.
“Its mechanism [to investigate] it doesn’t work well, ”St-Onge said last week.
Hockey Canada has repeatedly said the woman refused to talk to police or their investigators.
Smith and Renney reiterated to the committee that the woman also chose not to name the players. Executives added that Hockey Canada does not yet know the identities of the eight players in question.
MIRAR | Hockey Canada denies public funds used to resolve allegations of sexual assault:
Hockey Canada denies public funds used to resolve allegations of sexual assault
Hockey Canada executives told a parliamentary committee that it did not use public funding to pay for a deal after allegations of sexual assault against players.
Smith said London police informed Hockey Canada that his criminal investigation was closed in February 2019.
The independent investigation ended in September 2020, but Renney stated that the report is incomplete and should not be published despite the recommendations contained.
Smith said last week Hockey Canada has reported three allegations of sexual assault in recent years, including the London incident, but declined to discuss the other two before the committee.
The NHL, which has also said it recently learned of the allegations, is conducting an investigation because some of the players in question are now in the league.