A timeline of sexual assault allegations against former Hockey Canada junior players
Jan. 5, 2018 — Canada's world junior hockey team defeats Sweden in the gold-medal final in Buffalo, N.Y.
June 18, 2018 — Hockey Canada Foundation Gala & Golf event begins in London.
June 19, 2018 — A woman's stepfather informs Hockey Canada she alleges she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of the world junior team, while intoxicated the previous night following the event. Hockey Canada says it spoke with its insurance provider and then informed London police, which opened an investigation. Hockey Canada subsequently opened its own third-party investigation using a Toronto law firm.
June 2018 — Hockey Canada says it informed Sport Canada of the alleged incident.
February 2019 — Hockey Canada says London police informed the federation its criminal investigation was closed.
September 2020 — Hockey Canada says it closed its investigation.
April 2022 — The woman files a statement of claim seeking $3.55 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the eight unnamed players.
May 2022 — Hockey Canada settles the lawsuit with the woman for an undisclosed amount out of court.
May 2022 — Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney calls then-Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge, whose file includes Hockey Canada, to tell her TSN will be breaking the story in the coming days. St-Onge says the conversation is the first time she's heard of the alleged incident or settlement.
May 26, 2022 — TSN reports the details of the alleged assault and settlement.
June 2, 2022 — St-Onge orders a forensic audit of Hockey Canada to ensure no public funds were used as part of the settlement.
June 20, 2022 — Renney and then-Hockey Canada president Scott Smith are grilled by MPs during a Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting about the organization's response to the situation. Smith and Renney testify the 19 players present in London were 'strongly encouraged' to speak with third-party investigators, but not mandated to do so. Hockey Canada adds it does not know the identities of the eight players in question. Smith testifies Hockey Canada has reported three sexual assault complaints in recent years, including the London incident, but won't discuss the other two in front of the committee.
June 22, 2022 — St-Onge announces a freeze to Hockey Canada's federal funding until the organization discloses recommendations made by the third-party law firm and becomes a signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, a new government agency with the power to investigate abuse complaints and levy sanctions.
June 22, 2022 — The House of Commons unanimously approves a Bloc Québécois motion to pursue an independent investigation that will look into how Hockey Canada dealt with the allegations.
June 28, 2022 — Scotiabank announces it is pausing sponsorship of Hockey Canada. Retail giant Canadian Tire and telecommunications company Telus follow suit later in the day. Tim Hortons and Imperial Oil, under its Esso brand, join a growing list of companies to pull sponsorship dollars the next day. In October, Nike suspends its partnership and Bauer pauses its role as the official equipment provider.
June 30, 2022 — Renney retires as CEO of Hockey Canada after announcing a succession plan in April that tabbed Smith to take over on July 1.
July 14, 2022 — Hockey Canada says in an open letter to Canadians it is reopening a third-party investigation into the alleged 2018 assault. The sport's national federation adds participation by the players in question will be mandatory, and that anyone who declines will be banned from all activities and programs. Hockey Canada says it now requires players, coaches, team staff and volunteers associated with its high-performance program to participate in mandatory sexual violence and consent training. It will also conduct a third-party review of the organization's governance, and commits to become a full signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner. Hockey Canada adds it will also create an 'independent and confidential complaint mechanism' to provide victims and survivors tools and support to come forward.
July 18, 2022 — The Canadian Press is first to report Hockey Canada has maintained a fund that draws on minor hockey membership fees to pay for uninsured liabilities, including sexual abuse claims. The detail is included in a July 2021 affidavit sworn by Glen McCurdie, who was then Hockey Canada's vice-president of insurance and risk management, as part of a lawsuit launched by an injured player in Ontario.
July 19, 2022 — Hockey Canada confirms the existence of the 'National Equity Fund' in a statement, adding it covers a 'broad range of expenses related to safety, wellness and equity initiatives' across the organization. 'The fund is also used to pay for the organization's insurance premiums and to cover any claims not otherwise covered by insurance policies, including those related to physical injury, harassment, and sexual misconduct,' the statement read. Hockey Canada says the fund was 'established in a manner consistent with reserve funds maintained by other large national organizations.'
July 19, 2022 — Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasts Hockey Canada's leadership over the 'National Equity Fund' being used to settle sexual abuse claims. 'I think right now it's hard for anyone in Canada to have faith or trust in anyone at Hockey Canada,' Trudeau tells reporters on Bowen Island, B.C. 'What we're learning … is absolutely unacceptable.'
July 20, 2022 — Hockey Canada says it will no longer use its 'National Equity Fund' to settle sexual assault claims.
July 20, 2022 — Police in London order an internal review of their investigation into the alleged 2018 sexual assault, saying the original investigation, which concluded without charges, was 'lengthy and detailed.'
July 22, 2022 — Then-London police chief Steve Williams announces his force is reopening its investigation into the alleged 2018 sexual assault.
July 22, 2022 — Hockey Canada says members of its 2003 men's world junior hockey championship team are being investigated for a group sexual assault. Hockey Canada says it has contacted Halifax Regional Police about the allegations because Halifax was the co-host city of the 2003 world junior hockey championship.
July 25, 2022 — Players on Canada's Olympic and world championship women's hockey teams issue a joint statement demanding a thorough investigation into the 2018 and 2003 allegations. The statement says Hockey Canada has a lot to do to address 'toxic behaviour' in the sport. The statement comes after Hockey Canada announces an 'action plan' that includes, among other measures, the implementation by the end of September of a centralized tracking and reporting system for abuse complaints.
July 26, 2022 — Another round of parliamentary hearings investigating Hockey Canada's response to the 2018 allegation begins in Ottawa. Michel Ruest, a senior director at Sport Canada, says the federal organization was made aware of an alleged sexual assault involving members of Team Canada's world junior hockey team in late June 2018, but did not follow up with Hockey Canada at the time. Former NHL player and victims rights advocate Sheldon Kennedy calls for the resignation of Smith, his leadership team and the organization's board of directors.
July 27, 2022 — Hockey Canada chief financial officer Brian Cairo says the organization used its National Equity Fund to pay out $7.6 million in nine settlements related to sexual assault and sexual abuse claims since 1989, with $6.8 million of that related to serial abuser Graham James. The figure does not include the undisclosed amount of the settlement related to the 2018 allegations. Smith is questioned by MPs a second time, and resists calls for his resignation from a bipartisan selection of politicians.
Aug. 2, 2022 — The lawyer for the complainant in the 2018 lawsuit says his client passed a polygraph test, which was provided to the London Police, the Hockey Canada review and NHL investigators.
Aug. 4, 2022 — Former Supreme Court of Canada judge Thomas Cromwell is named the head of a review into Hockey Canada's governance.
Aug. 6, 2022 — Hockey Canada board chair Michael Brind'Amour resigns before his term expires in November. He says he's leaving to accelerate change and a new era for the organization. Brind'Amour was elected board chair in 2018.
Aug. 9, 2022 — Toronto lawyer Andrea Skinner is appointed interim chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors.
Oct. 4, 2022 – Hockey Canada's former and current board chairs defended the sporting body's leadership in a hearing before the Canadian Heritage standing committee. Former chair Michael Brind'Amour said he believes president and CEO Scott Smith has the qualities to 'do something positive for the organization.' Interim chair Andrea Skinner told the committee that hockey should not be made a 'scapegoat' or 'centrepiece' for toxic culture that exists elsewhere.
Oct. 5, 2022 – Hockey Quebec says it has lost confidence in Hockey Canada and will not transfer funds to the national organization. Hockey Quebec has also decided to keep the portion of registration fees normally handed over to the national organization, which amounts to $3 per sign-up. Multiple member hockey associations follow suit in the following days.
Oct. 6, 2022 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could step in and allow a new national body to replace scandal-plagued Hockey Canada.
Oct. 8, 2022 – Andrea Skinner submits her resignation as the interim chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors.
Oct. 11, 2022 – Scott Smith is out as Hockey Canada's president and CEO, the organization announced following interim recommendations from Thomas Cromwell's governance review. The board of directors also resigns.
Nov. 4, 2022 – The full 221-page report of Thomas Cromwell's review is published. The report says Hockey Canada is at a 'crossroads' and calls for more oversight and accountability at the organization. Recommendations include a restructuring of the board of directors and improved organizational practices, including the taking of minutes at all Hockey Canada meetings.
Dec. 17, 2022 – Hockey Canada members elect a new board of directors.
Dec. 19, 2022 – Police in London, Ont., say they have grounds to believe a woman was sexually assaulted by five players on Canada's 2018 junior men's hockey team.
Mar. 27, 2023 – Hockey Canada says players from the 2018 world junior hockey team will not be considered for international competition until an investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving members of the team is complete.
April 16, 2023 – The federal government restores Hockey Canada's funding.
July 4, 2023 – Hockey Canada appoints former Curling Canada chief executive Katherine Henderson as its next president and CEO.
July 17, 2023 – Sports apparel giant Nike permanently ends its sponsor partnership with Hockey Canada that dates back to 1999. The decision comes almost two weeks after equipment brand Bauer reinstated its partnership with Hockey Canada.
Nov. 18, 2023 – Hockey Canada board of directors appoints Jonathan Goldbloom as new chair, taking over from Hugh L. Fraser. Gillian Apps, Amanda Fowler, Corey Hirsch, Kristi Miller, Krista Outhwaite and Geoffrey Wong are elected as new board members. Grant Borbridge, Goldbloom and Marian Jacko are re-elected after serving on Hockey Canada's transition board of directors.
Jan. 21, 2024 – Calgary Flames say forward Dillon Dube has been granted an indefinite leave to attend to his mental health and is under the care of professionals.
Jan. 23, 2024 – Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart takes an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
Jan. 24, 2024 – The Globe and Mail reports that five members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team have been told to surrender to police in London, Ont., to face charges of sexual assault. Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta grants former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton a leave of absence for personal reasons. The New Jersey Devils say forward Michael McLeod and defenceman Foote are granted leave but do not give a reason.
Jan. 26, 2024 – Hart surrenders to London Police, according to court documents.
Jan. 28, 2024 – Formenton and Foote surrender to London Police, according to court documents. Video footage shows Formenton entering a London police station with his legal representation. Lead counsel Daniel Brown confirms Formenton is one of several people facing charges and says in an email, 'Alex will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence.'
Jan. 29, 2024 – Dube surrenders to London Police, according to court documents.
Jan. 30, 2024 – McLeod surrenders to London Police, according to court documents. Lawyers for McLeod, Dube, Foote and Hart confirm their clients have been charged with sexual assault. All four players say through their lawyers that they intend to plead not guilty.
Jan. 31, 2024 – Charges are formally sworn in court. All five players are charged with one count of sexual assault. McLeod is charged with an additional count of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.
Feb. 5, 2024 – The sexual assault case against the five players makes its first appearance in a London, Ont. court. At a press conference, London police chief Thai Truong offers an apology for how long it had taken for charges to be laid in the case.
Nov. 28, 2024 –Ontario Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas, who oversaw the pre-trial hearings in the case, rules that statements the accused players gave to Hockey Canada in 2018 can't be used in their criminal trial because they were obtained by investigator Danielle Robitaille under threat of penalties that could affect their hockey careers.
April 22, 2025 – The trial for all five accused players begins in London, Ont., with Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia presiding.
April 25, 2025 – Carroccia declares a mistrial just days into the proceedings. The reason is not publicly disclosed at the time, but the mistrial stemmed from a brief interaction one of the defence lawyers had with a juror during a lunch break. Carroccia found that a mistrial was necessary because it was enough that the jury had heard allegations that someone related to the trial spoke to a juror in violation of the court's instructions. A new jury is selected.
April 28, 2025 – The trial begins again, with the new jury panel.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
May 2, 2025 – The complainant in the case, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, takes the stand for the first time in the trial. Her testimony ends up spanning nine days, including seven of cross-examination.
May 16, 2025 – The trial faces another major upheaval, abruptly converting from a jury to a judge alone in order to avoid a second mistrial. Carroccia rules to discharge the jury after one juror sent a note to the judge indicating some members of the panel felt two of the defence lawyers were laughing at them as they came into court each day. The move to a judge-alone trial was initially opposed by prosecutors, who argued that switching gears weeks into their evidence could harm their case. But that changed when the judge made it clear the trial would otherwise go back to square one.
June 13, 2025 – Legal arguments in the trial conclude, after prosecutors argued the complainant did not voluntarily consent to the sexual acts that took place in the room, and the players did not take reasonable steps to confirm she consented. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, argued the woman actively participated in and initiated the sexual activity, then made up allegations because she didn't want to take responsibility for her choices that night.
July 24, 2025 – The judge finds all five players not guilty of sexual assault, and McLeod not guilty of the additional charge of being a party to an offence. She says the complainant's testimony was not credible or reliable and the Crown has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
8 hours ago
- CBC
Close monitoring of Hockey Canada to continue as condition of federal funding
Social Sharing Canada's secretary of state for sport says the government is keeping Hockey Canada under increased monitoring for the foreseeable future as a condition of federal funding. Adam van Koeverden told CBC News that Canada's national governing body for hockey has made progress addressing its culture, but there is more work to be done. "It's not just a matter of a box-checking exercise," he said in an interview. "We're talking about a massive shift in culture that requires transparency and accountability and a lot of time." That monitoring will continue to be done by Sport Canada and van Koeverden's office, he said. The federal government paused Hockey Canada's funding in 2022 over its handling of a high-profile case. A woman known as E.M. reported a group of 2018 World Junior players sexually assaulted her in a London, Ont., hotel room. A judge recently found the five players not guilty. WATCH | Federal government restores Hockey Canada's funding with conditions: Federal government restores funding to Hockey Canada 2 years ago The federal government says it will restore funding to Hockey Canada following controversy linked to its handling of alleged sexual assault claims. But the government warns this will not be a blank cheque and sets out expectations for the organization going forward. Hockey Canada came under intense public scrutiny three years ago for quietly paying E.M. a settlement. Hockey parents were outraged to learn their registration fees were going into a reserve fund without their knowledge and used to pay out millions of dollars in sexual abuse claims over the years. A parliamentary committee investigated, sponsors paused funding and the head of Hockey Canada and its entire board resigned. The government restored Hockey Canada's funding in 2023 but it came with strings attached. The organization has had to submit quarterly reports to the federal government about its progress addressing recommendations in three independent reports including by a former Supreme Court justice. Hockey Canada confirmed to CBC News it has completed all of the recommendations in those reports. Sport Canada said it's reviewing that progress and as of July the hockey organization has implemented all of the conditions that were part of its enhanced monitoring plan. Hockey Canada completed all recommendations Despite hitting that mark, van Koeverden said there is no date in mind for when Ottawa will drop its extra monitoring. He wants to see "sustained culture change that Canadians are demanding," he said. "We've seen good progress from Hockey Canada in terms of leadership change, in terms of governance changes, in terms of their audits," van Koeverden said. He pointed to mandatory training for all staff, coaches and athletes competing with Team Canada that's now in place covering sexual violence and consent. He said training "is just the bare minimum" and that there is a need to change attitudes and behaviour. E.M. and others' courage in coming forward, van Koeverden said, sparked a national conversation about the change needed in not just hockey, but all sports. 'Abuse isn't endemic to men's hockey' In a statement following last week's ruling, van Koeverden described men's hockey culture as "problematic." Asked by CBC News how he'd describe the culture and what concerns he still has, van Koeverden said he doesn't think the issues he's identified are "endemic" to men's hockey. "I'm concerned with chauvinism, with sexism, treating women as if they're objects or something to be attained rather than one's equal," he said. "I don't think that's unique to hockey, unique to sport. "I think it is an unfortunate reality that exists in other places, in the workplace, in education and it needs to be called out, needs to be recognized and it needs to change." He added "abuse isn't endemic to men's hockey" and that if a national conversation about "how we ought to treat each other starts with hockey, I think that's uniquely Canadian." 'You can't just tick boxes' A Fifth Estate investigation in 2022 found junior hockey players were the subjects of police investigations in at least 15 cases of alleged group sexual assault since 1989 — half of which surfaced in the past decade. Former junior hockey players and those who study the sport say these incidents have grown out of a culture that has included the pursuit of women as a team sport that can result in group sex. Anatomy of a Scandal 3 years ago Hockey Canada is on the defensive over allegations that some members of its gold-medal winning World Junior team in 2018 took part in a group sexual assault, and the organization didn't do enough to hold players accountable. The Fifth Estate examines the national shame inside Canada's game, and the disturbing history that suggests this was not an isolated incident. Laura Robinson, the author of Crossing the Line: Violence and Sexual Assault in Canada's National Sport, said she wants to see Hockey Canada under enhanced monitoring by the federal government until after the Winter Olympics in 2026. She pointed to Hockey Canada's recent announcements about 18 men selected for roles. Hockey Canada appointed an all-male roster to coach its Olympic and World Junior teams. The new general manager and members of the management group for Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence are also male. "You can't just tick boxes and say we've got women involved now," she said. Hockey Canada says 'there is still more work' The Program of Excellence relies on volunteers that come from a pool of Canadian Hockey League employees. The organization said its managers and coaches selected to volunteer have "tremendous experience" working with 15-to-19-year-old male high-performance athletes. It said Chelsea Geldenhuys has been promoted to senior manager of hockey operations for the Program of Excellence. Hockey Canada said as part of its effort to increase the number of women coaching in Canada, it helped launch a new program to employ student athletes as coaches while playing university women's hockey. The hockey organization also sent CBC News a list of 17 changes its made since 2022 to address hockey culture and safety, including achieving gender equity on its board of directors, adopting a universal code of conduct to prevent maltreatment in sport and becoming one of the first organizations to be a full signatory to the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner. "While important progress has been made since 2022, there is still more work to be done and we will continue to be transparent and accountable to Canadians as we drive systemic change within our national winter sport," Hockey Canada chief of staff Jeremy Knight said in a statement.
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hockey Canada needs to step up its game
Opinion The London, Ont. Hockey Canada junior hockey players' trial mesmerized and disturbed Canadians. In an unprecedented move, the CBC reported on it live with a warning that the graphic content of their reports might be upsetting for anyone affected by sexual abuse. The players and the complainant 'EM' who testified presented conflicting versions of what transpired in the room at the Delta Armouries Hotel, their memories compromised by alcohol intoxication, the passage of time and possibly the code of silence. We will never know for sure exactly what took place that night as we were not there. What we do know is that the five accused Hockey Canada junior ice hockey players were found not guilty of sexual assault and being party to an offence. And it was not the first time that multiple members of a junior hockey team have faced allegations of sexual assault against a single female victim. It had happened before in Swift Current, 1989, Saskatoon and Windsor, 1995 and Barrie, 2000. None of these players was convicted of sexual assault. THE CANADIAN PRESS A composite image of five photographs shows former members of Canada's 2018 World Juniors hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they individually arrived to court in London, Ont. on April 22. All five men were acquitted. The issue here seemed to revolve around consent. Justice Maria Carroccia concluded that EM consented to and initiated various sexual acts with these players. As such this ruling is a huge setback for the #MeToo movement. It confirms the patriarchal belief that women are second-class citizens who can be treated as sexual objects, used, abused and then discarded. This decision will have a chilling effect on women who want to proceed with sexual assault charges. It may also function to suppress efforts to change a junior hockey culture that many believe perpetuates male entitlement and misogynistic attitudes towards women. What will happen to efforts to challenge the toxic masculinity that is bred into these players from an early age? In this culture manliness is defined as bravado, swagger, sexual conquest, risk taking, bullying and invulnerability. What role can Hockey Canada play in effecting cultural change in our great sport of hockey? Can we even trust Hockey Canada to ensure its junior hockey player representatives conduct themselves in an acceptable manner? In 2018 the five accused players and their coaches would have signed Hockey Canada's code of conduct. No. 1 on its list of responsibilities is that players and coaches 'adhere to the highest standard of behaviour and at all times refrain from any behaviour that could reflect poorly on Hockey Canada.' Among other items the code also outlines the requirement to demonstrate 'respect toward all people through actions and words.' Refraining from excessive alcohol consumption is also mentioned in the Code as is the importance of 'refraining from the use of power to coerce another person to engage in inappropriate activities.' With this Hockey Canada code of conduct in place, it is important to note that a criminal investigation into the conduct of its players was initiated in June of 2018. It took six years for Hockey Canada to act against any of its players related to this investigation. What is even more appalling is that the team coaches were never sanctioned for their role in what happened. Indeed, the assistant coach, Tim Hunter, was promoted to be the team's head coach for the following year. Clearly the players, and coaches who should have been supervising the players, violated their responsibilities regarding this code of conduct as it pertained to the treatment of EM. An apology to EM should be forthcoming regardless of the not guilty finding. It is unlikely, however, that EM will see an apology from any of these individuals as an apology is antithetical to a culture that pays lip service to its code of conduct. Weekday Evenings Today's must-read stories and a roundup of the day's headlines, delivered every evening. Undoubtedly as soon as the appeal period has expired, we will see attempts by these five players to return to the NHL. Contrary to what the NHLPA says, NHL teams are not obligated to sign them. Teams, like our Winnipeg Jets, who are community-minded and character driven, would not consider antagonizing their fan base by signing any one of these players. Cale Makar, who was suspended from representing Hockey Canada even though he was not there when these allegations arose, made a crucial point in a 2024 interview. He said 'at the end of the day actions have consequences … regardless of the situation.' He might have added 'and we have a responsibility to learn from these actions.' Hockey Canada has a new CEO who, on July 25, 2025, outlined numerous steps that they have taken to 'transform the culture and safety of hockey.' What have they learned? Time will tell; we will be watching. Mac Horsburgh writes from Winnipeg where he was a course conductor in Hockey Canada's 'Speak Out' program.
CTV News
13 hours ago
- CTV News
Charity golf event in Sault raises $30K for CMHA Algoma
PUC Services' 2nd annual golf tourney at Crimson Ridge raised $30,000 for CMHA Algoma. The event drew 144 golfers from across the region and has brought their two-year fundraising total to nearly $50,000.
