Canada hockey scandal: Lawyer for first known victim speaks out

Mr. Tallach is a lawyer from London, Ontario.

He represented the woman who raised allegations against members of the Canada World Junior Team that they sexually assaulted and insulted her in a London hotel room in 2018. His client’s lawsuit was aimed at obtaining an out-of-court settlement of $3.5 million.

A parliamentary committee has since said Hockey Canada has paid $8.9 million to 21 plaintiffs since 1989.

Last week, sponsors including Nike, Chevrolet Canada and La Banque Scotia and Canadian Tire, End their support for Hockey Canada While several regional organizations have announced that they will withhold players’ dues from the organization.

Mr Tallach, who has been following events since his client’s case was announced last April, says he hopes Hockey Canada will take advantage of the situation to fix itself.

He adds, however, that changing hockey culture is also the responsibility of parents, players and fans.

The liability does not end with Hockey Canada. I think people are really upset here because there was a real soul-searching. If there is a problem with hockey in Canada, it starts in the local arenasHe says.

” It is not entirely the responsibility of the board of directors. It’s also how we treat all hockey players and how they behave. There is a big problem. »

Rob Talach notes that hockey players are treated like celebrities when their role is more to provide some form of entertainment.

They are grossly overpaid and revered. Perhaps now is the time to ask the question of why we are doing this. Without that adulation from fans, they can’t act that way.He says.

Hockey Canada appointed retired Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell this summer to lead a review of the organization’s governance.

On Friday, Hockey Canada’s board of directors decided that Postponing the elections for its board of directors for a month. The organization also renewed the liability insurance for board members with an annual premium of $1.9 million.

It seems very clear to me that Hockey Canada executives have taken the advice to say they can weather this storm. There does not appear to be any effort to change the direction of the ship significantly. They will only try to surviveThe lawyer says.

Mr. Tallach says he does not trust the organization in the short term.

It will take time and a culture change to end this situation, he says. I don’t think Hockey Canada is ready to take any of these steps yet.

With information from CBC