The fallout was swift: faithful sponsors, like Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons, bailed, the entire board of directors stepped down, and Sport Canada temporarily froze federal funding. Even the Prime Minister weighed in: Canadians were right, he said, to be disgusted.
Katherine Henderson was saddened too. In September, the devoted hockey mom and high-level sports exec-previously at the Pan and Parapan American Games-became the first female president and CEO in Hockey Canada's history. In her most recent gig as CEO of Curling Canada, Henderson fought for (and won) pay equity for the sport's female players, so she's certainly equipped to correct hockey's festering bro culture. Consent training, governance reviews and a new dressing-room policy are a few measures meant to right the ship. Will they be enough to take Hockey Canada office?
Are you a hockey person? I know you're sort of the hockey person now, but...
I am, but I'm not a player myself. My dad played in university-the rec, fun kind of hockey. My brother played in the local league in Thunder Bay. I learned how to skate at the Carrick Park Rink, a rec centre in the city. They had a pot-bellied stove we used to sit around when it was 30 below.
You came to Hockey Canada from curling, another of Canada's beloved ice sports. Did you experience culture shock? Curling seems a little less hardcore than hockey. I could be wrong!
At the elite level, curling is really competitive, but there's a social aspect to it that's different. This is mostly in Eastern Canada, but the winners buy the losers a drink after games. I wouldn't dream of heading home after a game without spending at least half an hour with my opponent. There's a lot of handshaking.
So you're not going to get into a bareknuckle brawl at a match.
Maybe out in the parking lot afterwards.
This story is from the December 2023 edition of Maclean's.
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This story is from the December 2023 edition of Maclean's.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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