A Cambridge hockey player and his parents have filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada looking for in excess of $2.5 million over alleged bullying.
The Ontario Hockey Federation and Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario are also named as defendants. The family says the hockey-playing son was bullied several times while playing for a number of teams under their jurisdiction.
No statement of defence has yet been filed and Hockey Canada told CambridgeToday it has not yet been served with the lawsuit.
The same family previously filed a $5.5-million lawsuit against the private hockey academy/school Victus Academy in Kitchener over bullying. That matter remains before the court.
The plaintiffs are seeking $1 million in damages for breaches of fiduciary duties, breach of contract and negligence, $500,000 for intentional infliction of mental distress, an undisclosed amount for loss of income and of competitive advantage, $500,000 in punitive and exemplary damages and $500,000 pursuant to the Family Law Act.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
The statement of claim alleges while the player in question was playing in Cambridge during the 2015-16 season, he was bullied by his coach and teammates. This led to him being granted his release to pursue an opportunity to play in another city the following season.
During the 2016-17 season, while playing for a different organization, he was again bullied by his teammates with a formal complaint communicated to the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. No subsequent action was alleged to have taken place, they claim.
The player then played in a different league in 2017-18 where they say he was yet again bullied by teammates. Complaints were made to the OHF with no action being taken, according to the claim.
The bullying allegedly continued during the 2018-19 season with formal complaints made to the OHF.
While playing during the 2019-20 season, he was bullied by teammates again and another complaint was filed with the OHF that the statement says went without action. Complaints were also filed against five players in October 2019.
The following month, the plaintiffs met with an investigator with the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario who launched an investigation into the matter.
A second investigator took over the investigation in June 2020 and filed a formal report to the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario who informed the plaintiffs that recommendations had been adopted and that the five players would be suspended from hockey activities, a decision they say was later reversed.
This past April, Hockey Canada hired an independent third party investigator, whose investigation has not yet concluded, the claim states.
The alleged abusive behaviour, according to the statement of claim, includes trying to tarnish the plaintiff's reputation through "making false allegations, accusations and rumours."
They claim the defendants' failure to protect the plaintiff "constitutes breaches of their duties of care and fiduciary duties towards him" and they failed to protect against "long-term intimidation, coercion, bullying, abuse, and harassment."
The hockey-playing plaintiff claims he has suffered injuries, including "emotional and psychological harm; impairment of mental and emotional health and well-being; an impaired ability to trust other persons; depression, anxiety, emotional distress and mental anguish; a loss of self-esteem and feelings of humiliation and degradation; a requirement for medical or psychological treatment and counselling; loss of friendships, and the loss of enjoyment of life."
The family's lawyer declined a request for on-the-record comment.
