Evidence of meeting #7 for Canadian Heritage in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was hockey.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:20 a.m.
Divisional Player Representative, National Hockey League Players' Association
I think it's a conversation that could be had.
10:20 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10:20 a.m.
Divisional Player Representative, National Hockey League Players' Association
Sorry, I apologize. It's difficult. I guess I won't be a politician.
I think it's something we always talk about. We talk about the youth programs; we talk about hockey in general. One of the issues Mr. Young and I were speaking about before was the transition. It's the life or the development after hockey, because hockey lasts this long. Katie talks about it going to 30, but there are a lot of guys in the NHL whose careers are two or three years long. They're finished at 24 or 25. All you know your whole life is hockey, so transition is difficult. Both Katie and I are probably going through certain difficult things. Your life is focused on hockey.
We're in the process of looking at a program as to how we can help our current members, and the greater area of how we do this as a transition program. Those are conversations that are being held internally.
10:20 a.m.
NDP
François Lapointe NDP Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
So your association might be open to that approach. If, for example, an association of women players told you that it had too many players in difficulty after their careers ended, you might consider finding resources to help them.
10:20 a.m.
Divisional Player Representative, National Hockey League Players' Association
I don't make those decisions; it's our board. We have 30 members on our board, and that can be discussed at that level.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gord Brown
That will have to be the last word. We appreciate our witnesses who came today who represented us in hockey at the Olympics. Thank you for your contributions to our study.
[Proceedings continue in camera]