Yes, I'm sitting here and I'm very new to this process, so I'd just like to give a definition that has not been heard in this room about junior A hockey. I am also the president of the Canadian Junior 'A' Hockey League, which represents 140 teams across our nation, and 10 leagues. I also have support from Hockey Canada in trying to promote the concept that we are trying to take care of our athletes.
There was a lot of talk here about employer-employee relationships, pro hockey. We're not really talking about that when we're talking about paying billet amounts for athletes in our care. In Saskatchewan, in 95% of the cases in junior A hockey, these are not-for-profit organizations. They are there solely to provide opportunities for kids and provide outlets for the community. They are an entertainment factor in that community.
Again, I get frustrated by the term “employee-employer relationship”. The money that is passed to these kids simply pays their expenses, whether it be for skates or for minimal living expenses. These are not players who are gaining a wage, and that should be very clear.
It was such a skewed definition, when I heard our Finance people talk about the relationship. This was not junior A hockey that he was talking about.