A big development today in the Allegations of gang rape involving 8 players of the 2018 juniors Team Canada
Hockey Canada executives may soon be called to account for their decision to settle a sexual assault lawsuit.
Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, who sits on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, told TSN's Rick Westhead that lawmakers could vote as early as Wednesday on whether to ask Hockey Canada executives to testify before the subcommittee about the abuse allegations and provide evidence about the settlement.
In a lawsuit filed in April, a woman claimed that eight CHL players, including several members of the 2017-2018 Canadian junior team, sexually assaulted her in June 2018 at a London, Ontario hotel after a Hockey Canada event.
"Now we're talking about a gang rape allegation that could involve every third player on this Team Canada roster. How on earth did Hockey Canada manage to keep quiet for four years? I'm appalled at the organization, and I'm appalled that this story is still largely buried by the Canadian media today." - Kevin Waugh
Waugh added that any testimony would be public and that the subcommittee can subpoena anyone who refuses invitations to do so.
Canada's sports minister, Pascale St-Onge, said last week that she was ordering an audit of Hockey Canada's financial activities to determine whether the federation had used taxpayer money to pay for the settlement. St-Onge also said she would call the organization's executives to testify.
The subcommittee tabled a motion Monday to set aside other work to focus on the Hockey Canada case.
The NHL said in late May that it would investigate the allegations and determine sanctions for those involved, if necessary.
Taxpayers partially fund Hockey Canada, giving the Canadian government jurisdiction over the federation. According to a freedom of information request by Westhead, Hockey Canada received $33.7 million in the eight years between 2008-09 and 2016-17 from the Canadian government.
