Hockey Canada announced Tuesday that CEO Scott Smith, who came under fire for how Hockey Canada has handled allegations of sexual assaults by two Canadian world junior teams, has left the organization. All Hockey Canada board members have also agreed to step down “to make room for a new slate of directors.”
The announcement comes three days after interim Hockey Canada Chair of the Board Andrea Skinner tendered her resignation.
While appearing at two Parliamentary hearings called to investigate Hockey Canada’s response to allegations of group sexual assaults by the 2003 and 2018 teams, Smith resisted calls by MPs from all four parties for his resignation.
“I’m prepared to take on this responsibility for change within our game,” Smith said during hearings in Ottawa on July 27, responding to a call to resign by committee member and Conservative MP John Nater. “I believe I’ve got the experience to do it.”
However, after a third hearing in Ottawa became contentious between Skinner and members of Parliament on the Heritage committee responsible for a portion of the organization’s funding, the calls for wholesale change grew louder.
Smith, 55, had been with Hockey Canada since 1995, serving as vice president and chief operating officer. He took over on July 1 as president and CEO from Tom Renney, who left the organization in a previously decided retirement.
Previously, Smith, a native of Bathurst, N.B., served from 1991-95 as the executive director of the New Brunswick Amateur Hockey Association. He has a degree in education from the University of New Brunswick.
