The Hockey Canada junior players involved in an alleged sexual assault at a Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) event in June 2018 were “encouraged” but not “required” to take part in the investigation..President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Smith and outgoing Chief Executive Officer Tom Renney testified at a standing committee on Canadian Heritage meeting on Monday..When asked by MPs about how many players voluntarily took part in the investigation, Smith and Renney gave different answers, with Renney suggesting “between four to six players,” but Smith disagreed..“I believe the number is larger than that. I just don’t have that at my fingertips … but it definitely wasn’t four to six,” Smith told the committee..The Commons committee meeting heard from Smith the money came from investments to pay the $3.55 million settlement to the victim of the group sexual assault..However, the committee meeting moved away from the settlement amount and taxpayers' funding to accountability within Hockey Canada..On the same day Hockey Canada learned of the allegations from the woman’s stepfather, Renney and Smith testified they called the London police and appointed Henein Hutchison LLP, a third-party investigator..The investigations did not reveal who the eight players were and both investigations stopped in September 2020..“That third party, nor the London Police Service, were able to confirm who the accused were,” said Smith..Renney and Smith testified the woman did not speak with the investigators or identify the eight alleged abusers and Hockey Canada did not pursue finding the identity of the players involved in the sexual assault..Hockey Canada is changing its code of conduct, so in a future incident it would compel players to take part in any internal or external investigations, according to Smith..Renney said “lines are blurred” between the conduct required by Hockey Canada and public events such as the London HCF event where the alleged sexual assault took place..Hockey Canada appointed a director of safe sport to “improve the culture” and crack down on underage drinking and requiring additional mandatory sexual harassment training..Renney said if the woman offered information to identify the eight players, Hockey Canada could discipline them..“I am concerned that if she in fact wishes not to be identified, and at this point in time wishes the players not be identified. I really don’t know what more we can do along those lines,” said Renney..MPs asked Renney if Hockey Canada plans to release the Henein Hutchison report, but he said no because it is “incomplete” and “speculative.”
