'This has shone a light on a very big gap': Maritimers in hockey react to Hockey Canada scandal
For hockey coach, player, and parent Andrew Lockyer, the sport has helped provide a special bond between him and his daughter, a 16-year-old goalie.
“This is her 10th season, she’s played on various teams, she loves the sport, it's definitely something that she and I share,” he says.
For him, the latest Hockey Canada scandal has touched a nerve.
The thought that minor hockey registration money was being used to pay for uninsured liabilities at the organization, including to settle sexual abuse claims, doesn't sit well.
“Our registration fees should be going towards the kids, should be going towards development, and putting these programs in place to ensure the players are ultimately benefiting,” says Lockyer.
“A lot of us who pay an awful lot of money for our kids to play, want to make sure that it's going towards the kids.”
Provincial hockey organizations in the Maritimes are considering their stance, as the national body continues to come under fire.
The pressure on Hockey Canada began in May when it was revealed the organization settled a lawsuit with a woman alleging sexual assault by eight players from the 2018 junior men's hockey team at a June gala event in London, Ont.
That allegation is the subject of three investigations by London police, the National Hockey League and Hockey Canada.
Those at the grassroots of the game in the Maritimes says it’s time for the sport and its governing body to take a hard look at itself.
“I think like every other Canadian right now it's just shock, and a little bit of disappointment,” says Sarah Hilworth, the head coach of the University of New Brunswick's Reds female hockey team.
Hilworth says the stakes are high for female players in the country, many who aspire to play on the national team.
Changing the culture of the organization, she says, is necessary to preserve the game.
“I believe that there needs to be more diversity in our game, whether it's gender, with minorities, people of colour, disability,” Hilworth said. “I believe that there needs to be a positive reflection of who we are as Canadians and it's our Canadian game.”
Sports Sociologist Cheryl MacDonald echoes that sentiment. Now an associate director of the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health at Saint Mary’s University, she’s studied various aspects of the sport over the years, most recently focusing on resource disparity faced by women in the game.
“This has shone a light on a very big gap,” says MacDonald. “In terms of respect and equality for women’s hockey and for women more broadly.”
She says changing how things have been done in the upper echelons of the game means bringing more diverse voices from outside into the boardrooms.
“To celebrate the different perspectives and skills that they bring to the game and its structure has to start happening,” she says. “I don't think we have a choice anymore.”
Lockyer hopes the scandal won't keep families like his from enjoying the sport for generations to come.
“Hopefully the hockey community as a whole can look at this and move forward to heal,” he says.
What happens next in the top ranks of Hockey Canada will reverberate down on the ice.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.