Former president Bob Nicholson says he’s ‘sorry’ for Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual abuse
Bob Nicholson, the former president and CEO of Hockey Canada, said he’s “sorry” for not having written guidelines on how the organization was to handle sexual assault claims while in charge.
Nicholson, who currently serves as chairman of the Edmonton Oilers, testified before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on Parliament Hill on Tuesday. Hockey Canada has been under scrutiny since a report in May revealed that Hockey Canada settled a sexual assault lawsuit related to an alleged incident at a 2018 gala in London, Ont. None of the allegations has been proven in court at the time of publication.
One of the biggest pressure points was Canada’s use of funds – namely the National Equity Fund – to pay off sexual assault claims. In July, reports surfaced that Hockey Canada paid just under $9 million to settle 21 cases of sexual assault since 1989.
Nicholson – who held his positions with Hockey Canada from 1998-2014 – said he claimed responsibility for funds used to pay sexual assault claims. He also said he became aware of allegations involving the 2003 world junior team on July 7 of this year.
“I wish I could go back,” Nicholson told parliament. “I wish I could have put more policies in…. it was something that I would have liked to have done. I didn’t, and I’m sorry about that.”
Nicholson says he can't say how many non-disclosure agreements were signed during his time as CEO, doesn't have a number – suggests asking Hockey Canada.
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 15, 2022Hockey Canada senior vice-president of strategy Pat McLaughlin said that the group had paid $1.6 million to Navigator, a crisis management firm, since July. He added that no public funds have been used to cover costs and that lost sponsorships have cost the organization around $24 million in funding.
Most of Hockey Canada’s premier sponsors, including Bauer and Tim Hortons – have either frozen or completely ended funding for its national teams. Scott Smith stepped down from his role as CEO, while the organization’s board agreed to step down at the end of the year, with a new board to be voted on in December.
Hockey Canada also confirmed last month that it will not collect player fees from member groups after mounting pressure from provincial hockey bodies.