Good morning.
I call the meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 41 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is taking place on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
Pursuant to the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, June 13, the committee is meeting on the study of Hockey Canada’s involvement in alleged sexual assaults committed in 2018.
Today’s meeting is taking place in a hybrid format. Pursuant to the House order of Thursday, June 23, 2022, members are attending in a hybrid setting. Those on the floor, you will know there is a place where you can get interpretation. On the floor itself there's a plug-in space for you to get interpretation. For those attending virtually, there is a little globe icon at the bottom of your screen. If you press that, you will get interpretation in English or French, depending on which you prefer.
I want to make a few comments for the benefit of the witnesses and members. Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone if you wish to speak to activate your mike and then mute your mike once you have finished. Also, if you wish to speak or have anything else, let me know. In virtual, you can raise your hand by using the “raise hand“ function. If you are on the floor, the clerk will tell me that you have raised your hand.
I'll remind you that all comments should be addressed through the chair. In accordance with our routine motion, I am informing the committee that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
Now I would like to welcome our witnesses.
As an individual, we have Mr. Glen McCurdie. From the Canadian Hockey League, we have Dan MacKenzie, president. From Hockey Canada, we have Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer. We have Brian Cairo, chief financial officer, Hockey Canada Foundation and Dave Andrews, chair, Hockey Canada Foundation. We have Tom Renney, former chief executive officer.
From the Ontario Hockey League, we have David Branch. From the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, we have Gilles Courteau, commissioner. From the Western Hockey League, we have Ron Robison.
I will give each of these witnesses—not every person, but each of the associations and organizations—five minutes. I will give you a 30-second warning. Listen to me yelling “30 seconds” into your ear so that you know that you have 30 seconds to wind up. Then we will begin a question and answer session.
I would like you to be as concise as you can, please, because we have to fit in a lot of questions and we need to make sure we're on time.
