Hockey N.B. awaiting Hockey Canada review before taking 'next steps'
CBC
Hockey New Brunswick responded Thursday after new allegations against Hockey Canada were revealed on Monday resulting in a cascade of reaction.
The Globe and Mail reported that Hockey Canada put player registration fees toward a second fund "for matters including but not limited to sexual abuse," according to documents obtained by the newspaper.
The news follows revelations in July that another fund, known as the National Equity Fund, was used to settle sexual misconduct claims.
Hockey Quebec cut ties with Hockey Canada on Tuesday. Hockey Nova Scotia released a statement saying they were "formally suspending the transfer of participant assessment fees to Hockey Canada for the 2022-23 season." Hockey Manitoba called for a change in leadership. The Ontario Hockey Federation also asked Hockey Canada not to collect player fees.
Hockey New Brunswick has not suspended the transfer of fees or denounced Hockey Canada's leadership.
Nic Jansen, executive director of Hockey N.B., released a statement that said the organization "understands the concerns raised by our membership and others across the country and we are taking steps to address them."
Some of these steps outlined by Jansen in the release include working to create educational opportunities for their membership, engaging subject matter experts on sexual violence, discrimination, masculinity and maltreatment as well as promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
CBC News requested an interview with Jansen, but he said other than the statement, the organization had "no further comment."
The statement said Hockey New Brunswick would await the independent governance review of Hockey Canada which will "provide recommendations about that organization and inform HNB's next steps."
Hockey Canada has been under fire since revelations that it had paid millions in cash settlements to complainants of sexual abuse allegations, in some cases. At least one settlement came with a non-disclosure agreement that prevented the complainant from speaking further about the matter.
The controversy has set off a nationwide discussion of a so-called toxic hockey culture, a problem that Hockey Canada has announced it is working to address.
Hockey Canada's board has backed the Bathurst-born CEO of Hockey Canada, Scott Smith, amid the handling of the sexual assault allegations and the secretive multimillion dollar payout.
Prior to joining Hockey Canada, Smith served as the executive director of Hockey New Brunswick in the early 90s.
Scotiabank and Pepsi paused their sponsorship of Hockey Canada in June. Other major sponsors who've since cut support include Tim Hortons, Telus, Canadian Tire and Sobeys.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.