Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 15th, 2022

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Yes, Mr. McLaughlin. Thank you.

[Pat McLaughlin]

Thank you.

You know, in the first hearing in June—I want to say it was Mr. Waugh, but if I'm giving him undue credit, that's okay—the suggestion was to compel our players, as part of our code of conduct and moving forward, that they would be...participate without question if there ever was an incident or alleged incident again. We've made that commitment. I think Mr. Waugh used the example that we cannot have someone who, when their career is done, continues to move forward as a coach or an official or in any other capacity. We've made that commitment.

As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Bittle, we have a lot of work to do from an education perspective and others. That's really where we are, I would say.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Thank you so much.

So you'll agree with me...because there are different levels of burden of proof. The criminal level of “beyond a reasonable doubt” we've all heard. There's a different level for civil responsibility on the balance of probability. If a player probably was involved, will you commit to this committee that in actions like this—like Mr. Miller, like what happened in 2019—they will not be wearing the maple leaf and be on the ice for team Canada?

[Pat McLaughlin]

I'm not going to speak for the NHL, but I think our position is very clear: no.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have one minute, Mr. Bittle.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Nicholson, having seen what the Boston Bruins have done, are you concerned that at the highest level, hockey isn't learning its lesson? Or is this an isolated incident from a different organization that you're not involved with?

[Bob Nicholson]

Thanks, Chris, for the question.

I look at how the National Hockey League responded to the situation in Boston. I look at what the National Hockey League has been doing for the last number of months—the last year and a half, in fact—in regard to these situations. They're taking it very seriously. I'm not going to comment on what the Boston Bruins do or their organization, but I can tell you that it's a top priority. I was at the last board of governors meeting, and a good part of the board of governors meeting was a discussion on this type of situation, so it is being addressed at the highest level of the National Hockey League—for sure.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Mr. Nicholson.

That brings us to the end of our session.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

I have a point of order.

Could we provide 45 seconds to each party for a closing statement or question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I think we could, but you guys are going have to be disciplined and stick to your time.

All right. What about 30 seconds? I don't know if the clerk can tell us if we have extra time or if we have a hard stop at one o'clock.

[The Clerk]

We began the meeting at 11:03 and we are allowed two full hours, which allows us to go to 1:03.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

We shall begin.

I will begin with the Conservatives for a 30-second statement.

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

Well, if it weren't for the sponsorships pulling out of the men's hockey program, I don't think we would have been here today. The nearly $24 million that has been pulled since June has brought us to this situation.

Thank you to Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Nicholson. I think that since June, July and September, this was probably our best meeting. We didn't get a lot of answers, but we did get some—like Navigator and so on. I think those watching today want to see a lot more from Hockey Canada and the National Hockey League, and we can't wait to get cleared up on 2003 and 2018.

That's all I'll say. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

We go to the Liberals.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Nicholson. I found that their testimony today was refreshingly frank compared to previous testimony from Hockey Canada. I think this is good progress.

I think this committee and the media have worked together with Canadians to effect change.

I agree with Mr. McLaughlin. Now we all need to work together, including the executive team and the new board of Hockey Canada, to make sure that the culture is changed, that the organization is sustained and that young kids across Canada can enter hockey programs feeling confident—and with parents feeling confident—that this is not only one of our national sports, but a great sport and a safe sport to be part of. I look forward to that day.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Mr. Housefather.

I'll go to Mr. Lemire for 30 seconds, please.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I agree with those who said this meeting has been constructive and interesting. I would encourage those who want to work together in future with a view to changing the organization's culture and giving our children a sport that is healthy and safe.

I would remind you that one of the goals of the four meetings held with Hockey Canada was to shed light on what happened in June 2018 and how Hockey Canada dealt with sexual harassment complaints. I think that an independent public investigation would still be a way of exploring these matters to ensure that we know as much as possible about this situation and to come up with recommendations to make sure that things like this never happen again anywhere in the world of sport.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lemire.

Now we have Peter Julian for 30 seconds, please.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Public confidence in Hockey Canada over the six months that we've been holding hearings so far has completely eroded, and it is in part because of stonewalling and a lack of transparency and accountability.

Today we got some answers, and I'd like to thank the witnesses for that, including on the outrageous funds paid to Navigator, but it is still an issue of accountability. Hockey Canada needs to, if those victims so choose, release them from NDAs and show accountability at all levels.

The jury is still out on Hockey Canada, and we will continue our work to ensure that Hockey Canada, as a national sports organization that represents our national winter sport, provides the transparency and accountability that are so necessary to Canadians again having confidence in the organization.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Peter.

I think we have about one minute left before we adjourn this meeting.

I would like to echo what the members of this committee have been saying. My job as a chair is to talk about the integrity of the process of the standing committee. I would say that this is probably the first meeting when we did get some clear answers to the questions, so I want to thank the witnesses. I would like to say that it is, in fact, clear that this is a first time and we still have not had assurances of change, transparency and accountability.

I want to thank the witnesses for being patient. I want to apologize for the technical difficulties. Hopefully they will not happen again.

I want to thank everyone.

Without further ado, this meeting is now adjourned.