I'm going to continue with the Canadian Hockey League.
All three commissioners have been long-serving members of the hockey community.
Gentlemen, I don't have to tell you that hazing and initiations still happen today in your leagues. You may not say it here, but we know it happens.
Mr. Branch, you don't have connections with Hockey Canada when this happens because we have owners that don't want to report it because there could be a certain player who is a first-round pick in the NHL and is worth over $100,000 to the Barrie Colts or whoever. Therein lies the issue with the Canadian Hockey League. Owners who have first or second draft picks get more money. I'm hesitant to give you my first-round draft pick if he's been involved in a hazing or an initiation because he's going to be an assistant captain or a captain on a team.
We are seeing this because.... I am the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Swift Current Broncos or Prince Albert Raiders, and—Ron, you know this—I'm a community-based team. I'm living month by month. If I have a first-round draft pick that I'm going to get $100,000 for, that could be the make or break of my hockey season and the balance.
As the Canadian Hockey League, how do we move on from here? This is part of the problem. David, Gilles and Ron wouldn't tell Hockey Canada, “We have an issue with this hockey player, so don't pick him for this team because we all want that player to be identified, and the more Hockey Canada grabs the player, the more money I'm going to get on the draft.”
Mr Branch, you've been around longer than most, I think. How would you assess the issues that I just told you exist in the Canadian Hockey League and the Q, the O and the W?