Hockey Canada did not payout a sexual assault lawsuit settlement from taxpayer funds., a Commons committee has heard .Politicians from all the parties wanted to know how much or if any of the $3.55 million settlement came from the taxpayers’ funding of Hockey Canada..According to Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer, the payout came from investment money and not any taxpayer funds..“We liquidated some investments to pay for the settlement,” Smith told the standing committee on Canadian Heritage..Along with Smith at Monday’s committee meeting were Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) Chair Dave Andrews and outgoing Chief Executive Officer Tom Renney, who retires on July 1, 2022..The standing committee on Canadian Heritage meeting was about a payout for a sexual assault by eight junior hockey players after an HCF event in London, Ontario, that happened in June 2018..All eight players were from Canada’s national junior team, which won gold at the IIHF World Championships about six months prior to the HCF fundraiser..Hockey Canada received $14 million in federal government funding in 2020 and 2021, which included $3.4 million in COVID-19 subsidies and has a net worth of over $153 million in cash, stocks, bonds, and other assets..The sexual assault happened after the HCF event and Andrews said that the HCF has “no involvement in the governance of Hockey Canada” and is not involved in the investigation process..“Hockey Canada reports to the Hockey Canada Board, not the HCF,” said Andrews..There was some confusion between Smith and Renney about how many of the eight accused participated in the investigation..“We encouraged all players to cooperate and somewhere between 4-6 cooperated,” said Smith..Renney said he “didn’t know how many co-operated, but it was more than 4-6.”.According to Renney, Hockey Canada “started working with the London police the day after the sexual assault in June 2018.”.Liberal MP Anthony Housefather questioned Smith intensely about the incident and how Hockey Canada conducted itself..Housefather asked Smith if he ever attempted to find out which eight players were involved and Smith said “no.”.Housefather responded that “it’s a small number of players to figure out which players were involved in this incident and you never made any attempt to find out which eight players?”.“Who did Hockey Canada include in the settlement?” asked Housefather..“Hockey Canada took responsibility for everyone involved,” said Smith..Bloc Quebecois MP Sebastian Lemire asked Smith why they paid for everyone..“Hockey Canada paid out the full amount because it happened at an event under our control,” said Smith..NDP MP Karen Vecchio asked Smith if any other players or Hockey Canada staff could have been involved..Smith could not “rule it out, but I don’t believe so.”.Smith said he wants hockey to be a safe space for everyone to take part..“Hockey is a safe place, we are not perfect but doing everything we can to make hockey a safe place,” said Smith..Hockey Canada has changed its code of conduct and changed some rules including “how alcohol is consumed at our events,” Smith told the committee..Smith said that “if the young woman wants to reopen the investigation. Hockey Canada would participate.”
