Evidence of meeting #41 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was players.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Did you report the lawsuit to the insurers in writing in the day or the days following receiving the lawsuit?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
I stand to be corrected, but I believe we did. I don't know if we did that in writing or if we did it verbally, but we advised our insurer.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Did your insurer take part in any of the settlement discussions?
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Let me ask, because if an insurer is going to look at a lawsuit, they're going to insist on having facts. They're going to look at their risk and insist on taking over the claim, taking over the defence and litigating it accordingly, but you chose not to have that done, to have an independent third party take over the claim and look at it and assess it. You chose to just run off and settle without being aware of the facts.
Why would you say that was a good decision?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
Madam Chair, I believe I made reference to this on June 20, as well.
We made the decision to settle in the best interests of the young woman. We didn't want to litigate this. We didn't want to go through the procedure that you make reference to and challenge her by putting her through that circumstance.
We made the decision in the best interest of the young woman.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
No, I'm sorry, Anthony. You'll have another kick at the can, but we're finished here.
I'm going to Madam Larouche for two and a half minutes, please.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
May I ask, Madam Larouche, that you speak a little slowly for the interpretation? Thank you.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
I will, of course.
Mr. Smith, I'll repeat the question I asked you during my turn in the last round.
If a player reports an assault, what steps should their parents or they take when reporting it?
How can we reassure silent victims that they will now be respected and heard by Hockey Canada and the other leagues represented at the table?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
Madam Chair, if there are incidents where someone is convicted of sexual assault, I believe that's criminal in nature. In our action plan, there's reference to our new third party investigative process reporting and tracking mechanism, and we will have the ability to track that and report that on an annual basis.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Recommendations have already been made.
I'll start with the ones from Karen Phibbs.
Are you going to listen to them and hear them, finally, or are you going to continue to reject them as you've done before?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
Madam Chair, I apologize. Which recommendations are you referring to, the Henein Hutchison ones?
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
Karen Phibbs gave you some recommendations and suggestions, which were apparently rejected.
Bloc
Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC
These recommendations came from a woman.
I'll say it again: solutions and reports already exist. There was an open letter from 28 academics stating that studies on toxic masculinity in the world of sports, specifically in hockey, have been around for a very long time, if not decades.
However, this doesn't change. It takes incidents, as I said earlier, it takes a knife to the throat, serious incidents like the ones we've heard about. There have been incidents, not just in 2003 and 2018. There are plenty more.
Will you also consider what is already being done, the work that has been done for decades by researchers, as well as the proposals that are being made?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
Madam Chair, Ms. Karen Phibbs has not been on our board for a number of years, so I apologize if I can't reference her recommendations.
I do believe that our board has undertaken a number of initiatives over the years to make improvements and advancements dating back to 1997, when, unfortunately, the Graham James incident came forward. We continue to do that, and our action plan will further strengthen that on a go-forward basis.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much. That's the end of that round.
I go to Peter Julian.
Peter, you have two minutes and 30 seconds.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I have some quick questions.
Were all the victims who were compensated out of the national equity fund asked or directed to sign NDAs?
President and Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
I'll be honest with you. I wasn't involved in the details of those discussions.
Glen, I'm not sure it's fair to ask you, but I think you may have had some historical view on that to answer that question.
As an Individual
Madam Chair, my recollection would be that it was the case, but I don't have access to those files at this time.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Perhaps Hockey Canada could provide that to the committee.
Thank you, Mr. McCurdie. We're very sorry for your loss.