A Yukon hockey coach of 25 years says Hockey Canada has misplaced his respect and trust after its dealing with of sexual assault allegations surfaced final spring.
“In sport, household often seems to be for trust in those who put their time ahead towards talent growth and progress of the sport in every neighborhood,” mentioned George Skookum, who coaches hockey in the village of Carmacks, about 170 kilometres north of Whitehorse.
“What Canada Hockey is doing, concerning the sexual abuse and paying off folks, is simply not proper.”
Skookum is referring to a lawsuit that Hockey Canada settled in May.
In April, a lady filed a lawsuit alleging that eight junior hockey gamers — together with members of the 2018 world junior staff — sexually assaulted her at a lodge in London, Ont., in 2018 whereas she was closely intoxicated.
The lawsuit sought $3.55 million. The phrases of the settlement aren’t public.
Hockey mother and father have been outraged to later study {that a} fund, made up partly with gamers’ registration charges, was used to pay for that settlement.
The solely factor that may be carried out to restore trust in the nationwide group is for the present government and board members to resign, Skookum mentioned.
“It’s one thing that needs to be carried out,” he mentioned. “It’s the solely factor that may get issues again so as inside the group.”
On Saturday, after CBC News interviewed Skookum, Andrea Skinner resigned as a director and interim board chair of Hockey Canada.
Her resignation got here days after a controversial parliamentary committee assembly, throughout which she defended Hockey Canada’s dealing with of group sexual assault allegations involving previous junior gamers.
Skookum hopes native hockey organizations in the Yukon additionally really feel as if it’s a time for a change.
“I think about that this has been talked about at their tables,” he mentioned.
“Hopefully they’ll relay these messages out to the communities. We’re pretty new by way of restarting our hockey affiliation however we positively need to be part of a brand new motion that may acknowledge the route that we’re supposed to be going.”
Yukon following B.C.’s lead
The Yukon Hockey Association says it’s a district of B.C. Hockey and follows its lead.
B.C. Hockey posted an announcement on its web site saying there are various points dealing with sport and sport governance, they usually require collaborative steps towards options.
B.C. hockey says it’s intently monitoring the enter and selections of different members of Hockey Canada.
Some provincial hockey federations, which acquire charges on behalf of Hockey Canada, got here out towards the group. Some took steps to halt the switch of these charges.
Hockey Québec was the first provincial physique to communicate out towards Hockey Canada, saying it has misplaced confidence in the nationwide governing physique. Other provincial hockey organizations have known as for adjustments in management.
Hockey New Brunswick and Hockey N.L. are amongst the organizations halting the switch of participant charges to the nationwide governing physique.
If native organizations are in assist of Hockey Canada then a bigger dialogue needs to be had, Skookum mentioned.
“Being a Canadian and recognizing the state of affairs that Hockey Canada is in, and everybody in opposition — being sponsors or leaders of our governments — is certainly displaying that we will work collectively to repair what needs to be fastened,” he mentioned.