Evidence of meeting #53 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 nicholson.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much, Mr. Housefather.
I now go to Mr. Lemire, for two and a half minutes, please.
November 15th, 2022 / 12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Nicholson, I'm going to repeat the question I asked earlier.
Not-for-profit organizations have special status that exempts them from having to pay sums of money to the federal government. But there are obligations attached to this status, including filing financial and administrative documents, such as by-laws. You decided not to disclose such documents, beginning in the early 2000s, which is when you became the chair.
Hockey Canada and it's championship partners, meaning the Canadian Hockey League, which includes the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, all adopted this practice.
Does this practice have a broader objective, such as filling the coffers and not paying its share to society, or perhaps even to protect you from, or deflect, potential lawsuits against players?
Why did you not file these documents with the government, as you should have?
12:05 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
I can't speak to each one of those documents. In the majority of my time with Hockey Canada, we had people from the government, from Sport Canada, sitting at our table. We met with Sport Canada individuals on an ongoing basis. With regard to all of the documents, all the bylaws, how we governed ourselves, those questions were asked, or I felt comfortable that Sport Canada was there all the time around Hockey Canada, so I thought that those were given to the government.
In regard to the National Hockey League, I can't answer that. That's something where you have to deal with the NHL office in New York.
12:10 p.m.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
How many funds are there? We now know about three.
To your recollection, how many funds did Hockey Canada have which were not reported in the financial statements?
There has been talk of money shared equally between Hockey Canada and its subsidiaries.
12:10 p.m.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
How are these funds reported?
Could there be other funds to deal with lawsuits, for allegations of sexual misconduct, for example, that come specifically from the subsidiaries?
12:10 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
I would like to be able to give you more detail on that. I didn't have day-to-day access. I wasn't dealing with insurance and risk management back to the branches. We had insurance committee people. We had insurance staff as well as legal staff who would deal with that.
With regard to any of the major ones that came up, they would bring it to my table and we would take it to our board for approval.
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
It's well over time.
I'm going to Mr. Julian for the NDP.
You have two and a half minutes, Peter.
12:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you.
I find it outrageous that $1.6 million was spent for Navigator. It was such a disastrous public relations strategy.
It's profoundly disappointing that nearly four months after Hockey Canada pledged to release people from their NDA, if they chose to be released, not a single one of those bound by non-disclosure agreements has been released. That's my comment.
Now I will go to questions.
Mr. Nicholson, to clarify what you said in response to Mr. Housefather, are you saying that in the 2013-14 women's national team, no players were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement?
12:10 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
No. I'm not sure if they were asked, or if any did. I know the coaches were asked.
12:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Second, in terms of in camera meetings with no written minutes, were you aware that it was a practice while you were CEO?
12:10 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
Looking back, sadly, yes, there were too many in camera.
12:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I'm going to move to the horrific allegations around the 2003 assault in Halifax.
Are you aware of who from Hockey Canada was present in Halifax in 2003? Have the Halifax police contacted you as they investigate those horrific allegations?
12:10 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
Again, I'll try to go quickly over the timelines.
On July 7, I heard of this rumour. On July 8, I called a couple of staff with Hockey Canada to find out if they knew about the rumour. They did not. I was then notified on July 22 that Hockey Canada was issuing a statement about the rumour to the Halifax police—
12:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
I apologize. I don't have a lot of time.
Have the Halifax police contacted you about this?
12:10 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Brind’Amour testified that championship rings are given to board members, at $3,000 a pop. Is that a practice that started when you were CEO?
Can you comment on the $5,000 that is alleged to have been spent by Hockey Canada on board dinners?
12:10 p.m.
chairman of hockey, Oilers Entertainment Group
Let me start, first of all, with the rings. Everyone who was involved with the team got a ring. Over my period, we once bought them for the entire board. Maybe it was twice, Peter. I honestly can't remember, but it would have been once or twice.
We had board members who were with the team, and they would have gotten the rings as part of the group with the team—
12:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you.
I'm afraid I have to stop you, because we've gone well over time. Maybe you can expand on that in another question, Mr. Nicholson.
I will now go to the Conservatives and Mr. Shields for five minutes.