Hockey Canada Disgraced

"Gross sexual debauchery has been a disgusting part of junior hockey culture in Canada for a very long time. The allegations which set off the current conflagration have not been tested in court, but the scenario is familiar. In 2018, a very drink young woman went to the room of a [likely] drunk hockey player. They had sex, to which she may or may not have consented, or possibly was not in a position to consent. Then she was passed around to other players against her will -- in this case, seven of them."

Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post

"Hockey Canada and the [Canadian Hockey League] have known for decades that there is alleged gang sexual assault in hockey towns right across the country."

"Most of the assaults were being done by the team, whether that was an alleged gang sexual assault of a female who they basically cornered, either in a basement or a hotel room, or it was rookies during the initiations."

Laura Robinson, author, 1998 book Crossing the Line: Sexual Assault in Canada's National Sport

"In our view, Hockey Canada continues to resist meaningful change and we can no longer confidently move forward together."

Jane Shaw, senior vice-president of communications, Canadian Tire

Hockey Canada

 

For months, scandal-plagued Canadian hockey, specifically Hockey Canada, has tried to turn the other way each time it has been criticized for abandoning its moral responsibility in seeing that junior hockey players -- treated as demi-gods in Canada in anticipation of their future careers in the hockey rink representing Canadian hockey talent -- desist from behaviour that has brought a deep sense of embarrassment to the game and to the nation.

That young men in their teens valued for their superior playing skills have adapted to a culture of sexual depravity, viewing girls and women as fair game in their own unfair game of sexual assault singly and as a group -- and their exploits kept from the public with Hockey Canada setting aside an emergency fund for the sole, explicit purpose of mollifying and silencing victims of sexual misconduct and group sex, to make these misadventures invisible -- has become a national shame.

Even police services have been implicated in dropping investigations and consequent charges after a complaint has been validated, but the victim decides not to continue with charges, withholding testimony. Hockey Canada has received taxpayer funding, promoting sports and youth involvement in good clean living sport activities. That source of income was summarily cut off, when disgust with growing revelations motivated Sports Canada to take action.

Now, Hockey Canada has suffered additional blows, with corporate interests once eager to support the sport body of distinction, sending out press releases that because of Hockey Canada's handling of sexual assault allegations they will no longer associate themselves with the discredited group, withholding former generous funding ties. Their ranks include Bank of Nova Scotia, Telus Corp., Tim Hortons, Esso, Sobeys, General Motors, and finally, the largest sport emporium in Canada, Canadian Tire.

"Canadian Tire and hockey are synonymous. When you think of Canadian Tire, you think of hockey and vice versa", explained Bruce Winder, a retail analyst and author. "Canadian Tire had to get out there first and condemn it because [hockey] is such an important part of their business and their DNA. If they didn't, then they would risk losing that whole franchise."

There were close to 102,000 female hockey players in 2020's Canada, an increase of 30 percent over 2008, according to data supplied by Hockey Canada. On the other side of the equation, boys and men participating in the sport has reached a plateau. Canadian Tire is "making a stand to say this doesn't align with who we are and who we want to be associated with. It makes crystal clear what their brand is about", clarified Lisa Hutcheson, a retail consultant and strategist.

"Hockey players need moral instructions and models who demonstrate to them how a good man behaves, especially toward women. Let Hockey Canada find new directors. Decent guides are needed for our young men, beginning with their fathers and coaches."

Father Raymond J. de Souza

Hockey Canada