Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith steps down, board of directors resigns

Hockey Canada president and CEO Scott Smith has stepped down from his position, while the remaining board of directors will not seek re-election, the governing body announced Tuesday.

The governing body said a new interim committee will be installed, but no new members were announced in the press release.

Hockey Canada released the following information in its statement:

"Recognizing the urgent need for new leadership and perspectives, the entire Board of Directors announced it will step aside and pursuant to Hockey Canada’s By-Laws, the Board will ask its Members to select a new slate of directors by no later than the forthcoming virtual election scheduled for December 17, 2022. The Board will not seek re-election and will fulfil its fiduciary duties until such time as a new Board is elected.

"Hockey Canada is seeking board candidates to shape the future of the organization. We encourage qualified individuals to respond to the call for nominations issued by the independent Nominating Committee last week."

Interim chair Andrea Skinner resigned Saturday. Skinner testified in front of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on Oct. 4, stating that she believed that rinks across the country would have their lights turned out if it were not for the current administration of Hockey Canada. Her comments drew widespread ridicule for protecting Hockey Canada and its board of directors, rather than prioritizing the public safety of Canadians in hockey, prompting her resignation.

Hockey Canada released its action plan in July in response to two concurrent sexual assault scandals, which included the comprehensive tracking of all complaints related to maltreatment, the escalation of a previously existing rule that it had implemented for the 2021-22 hockey calendar.

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