World Junior Hockey Tournament I’m back East coastin which many games are being played Halifax First time in 20 years.
Halifax activists protested outside Canada’s game against Austria on Thursday to remind people sexual assault the allegations The last time the tournament was held there.
“We want to send hockey canada A message,” said Judy Haven, a social activist and member of Equity Watch.
“We are not against hockey, I am not against people who play or want to watch. We are against what is going on and the rape culture that is alive and well in Hockey Canada.
NS Voice of Women for Peace advocate Katherine Winkler wants to see a change.
“There’s a language that developed around it. And if there’s a language, there’s a culture,” Winkler said. “And we need to change that.”
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Allegations of sexual assault have been made against World Junior Hockey players involved in the 2003 tournament as well as in 2018.
Those allegations are currently being investigated by an Independent Third Party (ITP).
“The 19-year-old players of 2003 are 39 now. So I’m thinking there might be someone out there, you know, a hockey parent, a hockey mom, someone who’s watching the World Juniors right now who thinks about that at the time and has information to share. Maybe,” says Jennifer White. “And whatever they can bring forward will be very, very helpful.”
White is an attorney hired as the ITP investigator for the 2003 Halifax World Juniors allegations.
She says she hopes the return of this year’s tournament to Halifax can bring back memories.
“Those memories may not come back unless you’re watching the games over the next few days and you’re wondering where you were in the lead up to the gold medal final on these same dates 20 years ago.”
White, along with the Halifax Regional Police, is looking for any information about what happened during the time frame of December 26, 2002 to January 5, 2003.
“There is no statute of limitations on sexual assault,” White says. “And of course for this investigation, under Hockey Canada policy, there is no statute of limitations. So there’s nothing stopping us from determining what happened a long time ago.”
Hockey Canada told Global News via email that it would not make anyone available for comment nor would it make a statement on this specific matter.
And earlier this month, Hockey Canada says its third-party investigation into alleged sexual assault of a woman in 2018 is complete, but says the report will remain confidential.
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