Halifax to ‘go ahead’ with hosting World Juniors: Mayor

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Scandals inside Hockey Canada received’t stop Halifax and Moncton from internet hosting the world junior hockey championships later this yr, says the Halifax Regional Council.

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“We’re gonna go forward and put these video games — put this match on, we’re gonna do a hell of a job as we all the time do,” Mayor Mike Savage informed a particular council assembly late Tuesday, including a word of warning that “final minute issues are all the time potential.”

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Hockey Canada has been rocked by allegations of sexual assault, which led to its management — CEO Scott Smith and your entire board of administrators — stepping down Tuesday amid blistering criticism. Savage stated final week that significant change was wanted at Hockey Canada earlier than the match may happen.

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The nationwide sports activities group has been underneath fireplace since Could, when it was revealed a settlement had been paid to a lady who alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight gamers — together with members of Canada’s males’s world junior crew in 2018.

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Allegations of gang sexual assault involving the 2003 world junior crew emerged in July.

In an interview Wednesday, the Halifax mayor stated the world juniors would be the first main match because the home cleansing at Hockey Canada.

“I feel we’ve seen significant change,” stated Savage. “We don’t know the entire story but. We don’t know who’ll be on the board. We don’t know who would be the CEO however I feel this can be a actually necessary step. And I don’t suppose there’s any denying that it’s a dramatic change and I feel it’s for the perfect.”

Savage stated a “excessive quantity” of tickets have been bought for the match, which is scheduled to happen in December and January. The remaining tickets, he stated stay with Hockey Canada “for issues like potential sponsors.”

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“I feel it’s honest to say that the (Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation) doesn’t need to cancel or transfer the match this yr,” he stated.

“They’ve made a dedication to that. Their desire is to have this match. They know that Halifax can do that. They know that Moncton can do this. Can’t foresee the unforeseeable.”

It’s the second time that Canada will host the world junior hockey championship inside a span of 4 months.

The elite under-20 match will return to Atlantic Canada for the primary time in 20 years. Halifax and Sydney, N.S., co-hosted the match in 2003.

The Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation wanted to discover a new location for upcoming occasion after stripping Russia of internet hosting privileges as a result of ongoing warfare in Ukraine.

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Halifax Coun. Tony Mancini stated the video games will carry a $50 million financial enhance to the 2 cities with $35 million of it being in Nova Scotia.

The 2023 championship will kick off Dec. 26, only a few months after the 2022 version, received by Canada, wrapped up in Edmonton. The match will run till Jan. 5, 2013.

Quite a lot of councillors voiced their help for modifications at Hockey Canada however added that there must be extra scrutiny.

Coun. Lisa Blackburn stated Hockey Canada is in want of full systemic change.

“Via their actions, they’ve taught these boys who are actually males that it’s OK to make use of girls any means they need, and so they’ll be supported,” she stated.

“They’ve taught these boys by means of their actions … that it’s OK to cowl up that wrongdoing and bury it from scrutiny.”

When the group was given the chance for transparency at a parliamentary listening to, Blackburn stated Hockey Canada as a substitute selected to current themselves as “conceited, tone deaf and their testimony reeked of hubris.”

Whereas the Metropolis of Halifax had a great relationship with Hockey Canada, Savage stated the way by which the allegations have been dealt with was unacceptable and lacked accountability.