N.S. and N.B. consider pulling the plug on hosting World Junior hockey tournament

It appears the upcoming IIHF World Junior hockey championships slated for Halifax and Moncton could be in jeopardy.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs told reporters Friday that he's been in talks with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and both provincial leaders are thinking about pulling the plug on hosting the hockey tournament at the end of the year, unless major changes are made by Hockey Canada.

"We have considered it," said Higgs, when asked if he’d cancel the tournament in the wake of the Hockey Canada scandal and the way the sport organization has used money to settle sexual assault lawsuits brought against them.

Higgs said he'll speak with Houston again in the coming days but both are disappointed in Hockey Canada's leadership and handling of the sexual assault allegations and its lack of transparency.

"We will do that (make a decision) jointly with our colleagues in Nova Scotia," said Higgs. "Because there wouldn’t be a separate decision made. We are actually sponsoring the tournament together."

On Thursday, Houston issued a statement saying he was disappointed with Hockey Canada.

“The withdrawal of numerous sponsors is a signal to Hockey Canada that its response so far has been inadequate. We agree. Before the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship goes forward, we need to see some meaningful changes that respect the concerns of Nova Scotians and Canadians.”

New Brunswick has agreed as host to give $1.25 million in funding for the tournament but no money has been provided yet. Higgs wants to see organizational changes made before the tournament ever gets underway.

“I think we need to see reassurances that either people change or that the organization has a different governance model," said Higgs.

In a joint statement, both the mayor of Halifax Mike Savage and Moncton mayor Dawn Arnold expressed their disappointment with Hockey Canada's leadership in the wake of the sexual assault scandal.

"We believe we have the local expertise and experience to welcome the world’s best young hockey players to our cities, but we are deeply concerned about Hockey Canada's lack of judgement and professionalism," said the statement.

Politicians are looking to Hockey Canada to implement meaningful changes within the organization prior to the world junior tournament.

Nova Scotia MP and cabinet minister Sean Fraser didn't mince words Friday when he shared his anger with the hockey leadership and said he wants to see major changes governance structure at Hockey Canada.

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting what we’re seeing with Hockey Canada,” said Fraser. "If you can't stand up for the mistreatment of women and then attempt in a clandestine way to hide the funding that's now being used to pay settlements instead of fix the problems, then you've got big problems.”

The world junior tournament is set to begin in Halifax and Moncton in late December.

Higgs says they'll have to decide on the tournament's ultimate fate soon.

"No one has given me a timeline on when we'd have to make a decision, but I would say by the end of October," said Higgs. "But really, we shouldn't be any later than that. We should be within the next few weeks."

Halifax regional council will hold a special council meeting Tuesday to discuss the world junior hockey tournament.