Scotiabank is pausing its sponsorship of Hockey Canada as a result of a sexual assault lawsuit filed by the national governing body last month, said Scotiabank President and CEO Brian J. Porter , in an open letter to Hockey Canada and Canadians.
The lawsuit, filed by a young woman in April, alleged that she was sexually assaulted by eight hockey players in a hotel room in London, Ontario in June 2018 after a golf and gala event. of the Hockey Canada Foundation.
News of Hockey Canada’s out-of-court settlement has sparked government shouts and scrutiny, and the National Heritage Standing Committee held a hearing last week with Hockey Canada officials to investigate its handling of the matter.
According to Porter’s open letter, Scotiabank is stopping sponsorship “until we are confident that the right steps are being taken to improve the culture within the sport, both on and off the ice.”
Porter adds that Scotiabank “expects Hockey Canada to cooperate fully with the federal government’s audit” to ensure that its sponsorship funding “has been used as intended.”
As part of this paused sponsorship, Scotiabank is “canceling the marketing and events for the upcoming Junior World Championships in August, and redirecting our planned sponsorship investment for world juniors to others. programs, including the Hockey Canada Assist Fund, which is successfully helping to remove financial barriers to youth hockey and the Women’s World Championship. “
According to Porter, Scotiabank will also “make a donation to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, a charity that supports women who are victims of gender-based violence.”
“The time for change has been long in coming,” Porter says in the letter. “We ask Hockey Canada to move with a sense of urgency to ensure that the game we love is kept to the highest standards and can truly be hockey for everyone.”
Last week, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage approved a motion for an independent investigation into how Hockey Canada handled allegations of sexual assault. Sports Minister Pascal St-Onge also announced that the federal government was freezing funds until Hockey Canada met multiple conditions, including the signing of a federal agency to independently reverse abuse claims, according to TSN.
Hockey Canada must also share the recommendations made by law firm Henein Hutchison, hired by the organization to investigate allegations of sexual assault.
Athletic has contacted three additional Hockey Canada sponsors about their association with the organization, but those companies have not responded to a request for comment.
(Top photo: Jerome Miron / USA Today)