'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
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.