Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 4th, 2022

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

What was your opinion of the governance structure? There seem be a lot of issues Canada-wide, and Hockey Canada needs to change the governance structure because it's the CEO telling the board what's going on rather than the board directing the CEO.

Would you agree with that assumption?

[Andrea Skinner]

I don't, sir. I don't agree with that. I embrace the governance review that's being undertaken, absolutely. I think it will only make the organization better, but I think there's a separation between board and management, and that is an important and fundamental piece of good governance that we are actively trying to achieve right now.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Is this a report that will just go on the shelf and never open up again, or, when Cromwell comes forward with recommendations, will you endorse those recommendations?

[Andrea Skinner]

It's hard to say exactly what will happen with the recommendations.

If we're talking about making bylaw changes to the organization, those bylaw changes may be recommended by Hockey Canada, by the Hockey Canada board, but they're actually made by our member organizations.

We are working to do whatever we can to put our members in the best position to be able to consider the comments and the report and to implement them, but it is a member decision.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Thank you.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair. Very briefly, in Ms. Skinner's testimony, she mentioned that she was the recipient of threatening emails, extremist emails and inappropriate contact.

I think, on behalf of the committee, we ought to condemn any inappropriate, extremist emails or contact that's made with any witness before this committee and unequivocally condemn that type of activity, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Mr. Nater. I think the whole committee shares that sentiment.

I'll go to the Liberals and Mr. Louis.

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to the witnesses for being here.

Ms. Skinner, I'd like to get your thoughts about the appropriateness of the government stopping federal funding to Hockey Canada, and also your thoughts on corporate sponsors pulling their funding. What message did that send to you?

[Andrea Skinner]

Thank you, Madam Chair. It sent a message on the degree of importance that hockey plays amongst members of the public. It's compelled Hockey Canada to be better at communicating and more transparent, and I view that as a positive thing.

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

I want to say for the record, then, that this funding was pulled before the story came out about the newly revealed participants legacy trust fund, which Hockey Canada never mentioned. That's something that didn't come up in previous testimony.

Do you see that perception of that loss of confidence?

[Andrea Skinner]

I understand there is that perception out there.

Again, as a parent with two young kids, I understand a concern about where our funds are going, where our money is going. That participants legacy trust fund has been fundamentally misconstrued, and I've tried to address that in my comments today.

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

You mentioned our children. That's primarily why we're here. We're looking out for our children in our communities. It's apparent from the testimony, and from previous testimony, that the perception is that we as a committee, journalists, the Canadian public, we all have to pull this information out in an extraordinary way. Testimony from you...journalists digging for the truth.... The message is somehow being sent that it's our responsibility to keep digging until we get to this truth.

How can we all go back to our communities and let parents know that it's safe for them to enrol their children in hockey, but that part of their hard-earned money that they've been using to pay for their children to participate in sports seems to have been used to pay off sexual assault cases?

[Andrea Skinner]

Madam Chair, I think you can commend to them the transcript of this proceeding. There is messaging on our website, including messaging that I drafted, that seeks to reassure parents out there, in particular, that some of the information that they understand may not be the truth.

This continues to be the game that many of us have grown up with and loved. We're trying to make it better, and we're working hard to do that. We have an open line of communication with members of the public, with our members, and with our sponsors. As I mentioned, we've been having town halls and focus groups. We're moving forward in a positive direction.

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Okay. Thank you.

I'm not sure that today's testimony has instilled that confidence, but I would like to give the rest of my time to Mr. Housefather.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Louis.

Ms. Skinner, if you were a teacher as opposed to a lawyer, and you were grading Mr. Smith, what grade from A to F would you give him in his role at Hockey Canada right now?

[Andrea Skinner]

I'm a hard marker, and I think that the circumstances in which Mr. Smith has been working have been really extraordinary and difficult. I would say that he's conducting himself as an A in the circumstances.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

You watched his testimony before this committee on two occasions. How would you grade him on his testimony before this committee? Would you say that was also an A?

[Andrea Skinner]

I think Mr. Smith did the best he could; he was as honest as he could be. I don't have a particular comment on that, beyond saying that it's a difficult position to be put in. I know, as I'm sitting here today.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

It's a difficult position for sure, as you are in right now.

The one thing I would say is that I think this shows there's a clear discrepancy between how the leadership of Hockey Canada views the management of Hockey Canada, and how this committee of all parties and the Canadian public view the leadership of Hockey Canada.

That, I think, is diagnosing the real problem we have before us today. I don't think you will win back the favour of Canadians and get parents to feel confident about Hockey Canada, or participants feeling confident in Hockey Canada until, as Ms. Thomas rightly said, you look at the leader and excise that leader. I think you're missing that right now.

I thank you so much for your testimony today, Ms. Skinner.

[Andrea Skinner]

My pleasure. I would just say we have been going around speaking to the public. I don't know whether the public shares this committee's view or not. I just don't know.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Mr. Housefather.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to make sure my NDP and Bloc colleagues have their time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We do have time for it. I'm keeping my eye on that, but if you've finished, thank you. That's great.

Now I will go to Monsieur Lemire for two and a half minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Ms. Skinner, the minutes of your meetings record discussions regarding the appropriateness of maintaining Canadian Hockey League coverage in your insurance and the effect on the size of your premiums.

Why are Canadian Hockey League players covered under your insurance policies?

[Andrea Skinner]

Hockey Canada provides insurance for all participants in Hockey Canada programming and its members' programming.