Hockey Canada’s board of directors called an emergency meeting Thursday night amid mounting pressure from top corporate sponsors, political leaders and provincial organizations because of the group’s apparent unwillingness to address its handling of allegations of sexual assault.
Two provincial organizations are calling for resignations, with Hockey Manitoba saying there needs to be “a change in the leadership of Hockey Canada” and Hockey Nova Scotia saying it has “lost confidence in the leadership of Hockey Canada.”
Hockey Nova Scotia also confirmed that it has suspended its funding for Hockey Canada for the 2022-23 season.
The organization has been in an uproar since news broke that Hockey Canada’s registration fees helped pay for a multimillion-dollar settlement to address allegations of sexual assault.
But Hockey Canada firmly refused to change leadership earlier this week, despite calls to action.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested on Thursday that the organization could be replaced if the national hockey governing body continues to defy calls to look at how sexual assault claims and funding are handled.
“It is inconceivable that the people of Hockey Canada would continue to interfere. It’s not that the people of Hockey Canada are exceptionally special, which means they’re the only people in the country who can run an organization like this,” Trudeau said. “There has to be a comprehensive change. You have to do it. You have to realize that if we have to start an organization, that’s what people will try to do – get rid of Hockey Canada and start an organization called ‘Canada Hockey’ instead. ”
TSN, which will host the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Atlantic Canada, is also calling for action.
The sports broadcaster, owned by CTV’s parent company Bell Media, is calling on “Hockey Canada to make meaningful changes to create a hockey environment built on a culture of respect.”
Former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, who said he was sexually abused by a coach for years while playing with the Swift Current Broncos, said it was obvious Hockey Canada couldn’t go on like this.
“The picture is clear that the organization as a whole and its leadership has lost the trust and support of not only the citizens of Canada, but all corporate sponsorship as well,” Kennedy said.
While some sponsors, including BDO and Esso Canada, initially halted their support when allegations surfaced this summer, here corporate sponsors recently confirmed they were withdrawing their support or maintaining their pause as the controversy unfolds. Here’s what these sponsors had to say about their choices:
CANADIAN TIRE
“After careful consideration, Canadian Tire Corporation has made the decision to end its partnership with Hockey Canada. In our view, Hockey Canada continues to resist significant change and we can no longer confidently move forward together. CTC is proud of our commitment to the sport and will continue to invest in our beloved national sport by redirecting support to hockey-related organizations that are more aligned with our values. The Respect Group, which focuses on preventing bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination, is one of many organizations where funds will be diverted. We are committed to supporting hockey and sports that are inclusive and safe for all Canadians,” Canadian Tire Corporation senior vice president of communications Jane Shaw said in a statement Oct. 5.
TIM HORTONS
“We have communicated to Hockey Canada on many occasions that the organization must take strong and definitive action before it can regain the trust and trust of Canadians. We are deeply disappointed with the lack of progress Hockey Canada has made to date. We officially notified Hockey Canada this week that we have withdrawn from all men’s hockey programs for the 2022-23 season, including the Men’s World Junior Championships. We continue to fund Canada’s women’s and para hockey teams, as well as youth hockey,” Tim Horton’s media relations said in an Oct. 5 statement.
CHEVROLET CANADA
“We can confirm that Chevrolet Canada has withdrawn from its sponsorship activities with Hockey Canada as we seek more clarity on the specific steps the organization has taken and will be taking following the alleged abuse incidents. At GM, we do not tolerate abuse of any kind and want Hockey Canada to continue to set a positive example for all Canadians in everything it does,” said Jennifer Wright, GM Canada’s executive director of communications, in a statement Oct. 6.
SCOTIA BANK
“Our sponsorship hiatus from Hockey Canada remains in effect. Essentially, this means a continued pause in our support of men’s hockey throughout the 2022-2023 season, including the upcoming World Junior Championship. In our open letter in June, we publicly called on Hockey Canada to keep the game at a higher level, and we’re disappointed with the progress so far. From Hockey Canada, we expect a tangible commitment to transparency with Canadians, strong leadership, accountability to their stakeholders and the hockey community, and improved safety on and off the ice. Ultimately, our position has not wavered: the time for change is long overdue,” Scotiabank media relations said in a statement Oct. 5.
TELUS
“We are deeply discouraged by Hockey Canada’s lack of action and commitment to driving the necessary cultural change. TELUS will not be sponsoring Hockey Canada’s men’s ice hockey programs for the 2022-23 season, including the upcoming World Juniors tournament. We remain passionate fans and supporters of the sport of ice hockey and are committed to enabling systemic change to make ice hockey safe for all,” Telus Media Relations said in an Oct. 6 statement.
SKIP THE DISHES
“Like many Canadians, we are deeply disturbed by the recent allegations and as a result have terminated our partnership with Hockey Canada,” a spokesman for Skip The Dishes said in an Oct. 6 email to CTV News.
SOBEYS
“Empire has been a proud sponsor of the women’s national ice hockey team for a number of years. When our contract with Hockey Canada expired at the end of June, we chose not to renew our sponsorship because we were disgusted by all the allegations and, equally important, Hockey Canada’s unwillingness to make meaningful changes to regain Canadians’ trust and making sure everyone feels welcome and safe playing the sport directly, with no connection to Hockey Canada,” Sobeys Media Relations told CTV News in an Oct. 6 email.
With files from Kevin Gallagher of CTV News