Former NHL player and victims’ rights advocate Sheldon Kennedy has called for the resignation of Hockey Canada president and CEO Scott Smith, his management team and the organization’s board of directors, as a review of the handling of organization for allegations of sexual abuse involving its players.
Kennedy tweeted his request in a statement responding to Hockey Canada’s “action plan” released Monday to combat the toxic culture.
“The same people with a new plan expecting different results is the definition of insanity,” Kennedy said in the statement, ending it with “enough is enough.”
Having given my 26 years of victim advocacy, I cannot sit idly by. pic.twitter.com/r98K7b66xG
Kennedy’s statement came after the end of Tuesday’s round of parliamentary hearings investigating Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations involving players on the world junior team.
Kennedy said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that a July 11 open letter from Hockey Canada promising reforms and reopening an investigation into a 2018 allegation of gang sexual assault was “a first step of good”.
“Next? They should be able to speak with their actions,” he added. “I hope they will.”
He made it clear Tuesday that he believes Hockey Canada has not done enough.
“Having given my 26 years of advocacy to victims, I cannot sit idly by,” he said in a tweet accompanying his statement.
Kennedy has been a voice for victims following his experience of abuse by then-coach Graham James in youth hockey.
Hockey Canada’s action plan, based on the open letter, includes implementing by the end of September a centralized tracking and reporting system for abuse complaints. He said the results will be released annually to “hold Hockey Canada accountable.”
The organization will publish an annual social responsibility report, which will include information on complaints received both nationally and nationally and a scorecard based on “key performance indicators”. Hockey Canada said it was in the process of identifying the measures that would be included in the scoreboard.
Hockey Canada did not say what data on the complaints will be made public in the report, but historical allegations of sexual assault will not be included.
The parliamentary hearings will continue on Wednesday, with Smith among those scheduled to testify.
