Hockey Manitoba withdraws support for Hockey Canada leadership amid sexual assault scandal
CBC
Hockey Manitoba has withdrawn its defence of Hockey Canada over a sexual assault scandal that's been simmering for months, but stopped short of cutting ties with the organization, as has been done by several sponsors and at least one other provincial affiliate.
The board of directors of Hockey Manitoba issued a statement Thursday supporting the call by members of Parliament for change in the leadership of Hockey Canada.
The organization also called for "a review of the Hockey Canada Action Plan to include consultation from experts or organizations working in education, awareness and prevention of sexual violence, abuse, bullying, and discrimination."
Hockey Manitoba joins the chorus of voices — including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — who have spoken out or taken a position regarding Hockey Canada this week, following new new allegations against the governing body.
On Wednesday, Trudeau said the actions and attitude of Hockey Canada "boggles the mind."
In August, after the details of the sexual assault controversy were exposed at the national level, with Canada's minister of sport chastising Hockey Canada for keeping her out of the loop, Hockey Manitoba's executive director Peter Woods defended the national body's leadership in a conversation with CBC Manitoba Information Radio host Marcy Markusa.
"I believe they have the right people that are leading this organization, that have a great deal of experience in the hockey world, and I'm certainly comfortable with the direction that they're going in right now," Woods said.
"I think Hockey Canada has recognized that they've made some errors, they've acknowledged some mistakes that have been made throughout this process, and they're trying to correct those. They've put together a very strong action plan."
Thursday's statement from Hockey Manitoba stops short of cutting ties with the organization as was done by Hockey Quebec on Tuesday.
The Quebec organization says it will stop monetary contributions to the national organization — a move that was commended by Canada's federal minister of sport, Pascale St-Onge.
"I think the decision that Hockey Quebec took shows that reform [is] being engaged. It also sends the message to the leaders at the organization that are holding on to their jobs that Hockey Canada doesn't belong to them, it also belongs to their members and they want change," St-Onge said Wednesday.
Dan Barnes, a parent of a child who plays hockey in Winnipeg, said Hockey Manitoba made a "good call" in urging a change in the leadership of Hockey Canada.
Barnes said Hockey Canada's response was inadequate.
"It doesn't show respect for the people that it's happened to and that it could happen to you in the future," Barnes told the CBC in an interview at the Bell MTS Iceplex in Thursday evening.
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