Tim Hortons pulls Hockey Canada sponsorship for 2022-23 season

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MONTREAL — Hockey Quebec says it has misplaced confidence in Hockey Canada and won’t switch funds to the nationwide group, whereas a well known Canadian model prolonged its sponsorship boycott.

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Hockey Quebec confirmed to The Canadian Press that its board of administrators adopted a movement Tuesday evening stating it doesn’t consider Hockey Canada’s present construction can change hockey tradition. The decision was first reported by La Presse.

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The provincial hockey physique additionally determined to maintain the portion of registration charges usually handed over to the nationwide group, which quantities to $3 per sign-up.

Additionally, Tim Hortons introduced Wednesday it received’t sponsor any Hockey Canada males’s programming this season, together with the world junior males’s championship in Halifax and Moncton.

The corporate, which first suspended its sponsorship in June, says it would proceed to fund nationwide ladies’s and para hockey packages, in addition to youth hockey.

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The Ontario Hockey Federation, the biggest of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial hockey associations, has requested Hockey Canada a second time to not acquire the $3 participant evaluation price from its members for the 2022-23 season.

OHF government director Phillip McKee informed CP his federation made the identical request in July to Hockey Canada’s former board chair Michael Brind’Amour.

“It’s our understanding now that this request was by no means directed to the board earlier than his departure,” the OHF stated in an announcement.

Brind’Amour resigned from his place Aug. 6. Andrea Skinner took over as interim board chair.

The Canadian Press reached out to provincial hockey associations in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for response to Hockey Quebec’s decision. Solely Hockey Saskatchewan responded with a “no remark” reply.

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Hockey Canada continues to vigorously defend its management amid criticism over the dealing with of alleged sexual assaults and the best way cash was paid out in lawsuits.

Two current allegations contain gamers from the 2018 and 2003 Canadian junior males’s groups. These allegations haven’t been examined in court docket.

Revelations additionally included Hockey Canada’s admission that it drew on minor hockey registration charges to pay for uninsured liabilities, together with sexual abuse claims.

Brind’Amour and Skinner have been grilled Tuesday by members of Parliament on why wholesale modifications haven’t been made to Hockey Canada’s management. Each continued to again chief government officer and president Scott Smith.

Hockey Quebec’s transfer was applauded by Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, who has referred to as for a management change at Hockey Canada.

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“It additionally sends the message to the leaders on the group which can be holding on to their jobs that Hockey Canada doesn’t belong to them,” St-Onge informed reporters in Ottawa. “It additionally belongs to their members, they usually need change. They need a change of tradition they usually need to battle towards sexual violence.

“For the reason that leaders of Hockey Canada are holding on to their jobs, the voting members want to wash the home.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated it “boggles the thoughts that Hockey Canada is constant to dig in its heels” as extra Canadians lose religion in it.

“It’s no shock that provincial organizations are questioning whether or not or not they need to proceed supporting a corporation that doesn’t perceive how critical a state of affairs it has contributed to inflicting,” Trudeau stated Wednesday.

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Hockey Canada has been beneath fireplace since Could when it was revealed it settled a lawsuit with a girl who alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight gamers from the 2018 junior males’s hockey group at a June gala occasion in London, Ont., that yr.

The allegation is the topic of three investigations being performed by London police, the Nationwide Hockey League and Hockey Canada.

Ontario Conservative MP John Nater stated Smith and Hockey Canada’s higher administration must go in an effort to see significant change within the group.

“Proper now, we have to put strain on the group,” Nater stated Wednesday earlier than getting into his get together’s weekly caucus assembly.

“Put strain on the 13 voting members to make sure that there’s a board in place that’s going to make these significant modifications on the prime.”

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Conservative MP Kevin Waugh added Hockey Canada has the cash to climate the present scandal for years to come back.

“Will probably be as much as the sponsors, I consider now,” Waugh stated.

Sports activities advertising and marketing knowledgeable Tom Mayenknecht stated Hockey Canada’s defensive posture makes it tougher for the nationwide physique to retain public and company belief.

“That is such a collection of unhealthy selections and unhealthy dealing with, for my part, that I’m unsure if Hockey Canada hasn’t already crossed that line, once more, given a few of the public sentiment and even membership sentiment that I’m listening to on the grassroots stage,” Mayenknecht informed The Canadian Press.

“I’m not so certain that they’ll totally regain the belief with out doing much more than they have already got.”

It was revealed in July that Hockey Canada paid out $7.6 million in 9 settlements associated to sexual assault and sexual abuse claims since 1989.

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The determine didn’t embrace this yr’s payout of an undisclosed sum to the London plaintiff, who had sued for greater than $3.5 million.

Since Hockey Canada’s settlement grew to become public within the spring, Halifax police have been requested to analyze an alleged sexual assault by members of the 2003 junior males’s group.

The federal authorities froze Hockey Canada’s federal funding and a number of other firms paused their sponsorship in June.

Brind’Amour acknowledged Tuesday that Smith has “the required qualities to do one thing constructive for the group.” Skinner, in the meantime, stated tradition change can occur whereas sustaining management stability.

Western College faculty of kinesiology director Laura Misener says Hockey Canada’s reluctance to change its organizational construction reveals a lack of awareness for what’s wanted whereas making an attempt to protect the game.

“I feel there’s two issues occurring there: one, there’s a stage of protectionism. Wanting to guard the game that they consider in, that they actually strongly, actually worth, that there’s something vital about defending that sport,” Misener stated. “I feel that that’s taking place on one hand and why they need to keep of their positions.

“Two, I feel there’s an actual misunderstanding of what tradition shifting (and) tradition change requires.”

— With recordsdata from Frederic Daigle in Montreal, Stephanie Taylor in Ottawa and Abdulhamid Ibrahim in Toronto.