CALGARY - A Lampman woman was among the members of the Hockey Canada board of directors to announce their resignation on Tuesday.
Hockey Canada announced the departure of CEO Scott Smith, effective immediately, and the resignation of the entire board of directors Tuesday.
Lampman's Mary Anne Veroba was among the board members stepping aside. She was elected to the board in the fall of 2020 for a two-year term, making her one of the first women to ever sit on the board.
Before being elected to the Hockey Canada board, she spent seven years as the chairperson of Hockey Saskatchewan (formerly known as the Saskatchewan Hockey Association), where she was the first female chairperson in the provincial organization's history.
Veroba spent 17 years on the Sask. Hockey board, and more than 30 years around the game.
An interim management committee will be put in place with Hockey Canada, which will guide the organization until no later than a newly constituted board appoints a new CEO to lead the organization.
Hockey Canada said the board will ask its members to select a new slate of directors no later than the forthcoming virtual election scheduled for Dec. 17. The board will not seek re-election and will fulfill its fiduciary duties until such time as a new board is elected.
The interim management committee will focus on day-to-day operations and ensure progress on the implementation of Hockey Canada’s Action Plan, including reviewing and working with the board and members towards the full implementation of the independent governance review recommendations from Thomas Cromwell, a former Supreme Court Justice, as well as working to facilitate the effective transition to a new CEO and board.
The announcement comes among the fallout related to Hockey Canada's mishandling of sexual assault allegations and how settlements were paid out, generated anger and resulting in a number of corporate sponsors withdrawing their support. The federal government also froze its funding for Hockey Canada.
