Calgary Stampede has admitted liability and negligence that the organization was aware that an adult employee with young Canadians had abused teenage boys for years before launching a police investigation.
A settlement was announced on Wednesday between the Calgary exhibition and Stampede Limited, and the Calgary Stampede Foundation and a number of young Canadians members.
The settlement agreement was reached pending any objection and a judge’s approval at a settlement notice hearing scheduled for September 25.
After initially denying any wrongdoing, Stampede has now agreed to pay 100 percent of the liability damages, but punitive damages have not been agreed.
An exact figure in dollars of damages and the method in which damages will be awarded to victims has also not yet been determined.
In a statement to CTV Neombs on Wednesday, Stampede said it ‘takes full responsibility in the hope of helping the victims recover.’
“We cannot change the events of the past, but we are deeply sorry for the way the victims have been affected,” the statement said.
“Our commitment to those affected is to do everything possible to protect ourselves from anything similar happening again, and we have taken meaningful steps to enhance the safety and well-being of our youth participants.”
HEEREMA
Phillip Heerema was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for sexually exploitative acts linked to six members of the Young Canadians, a performance arts group that plays nightly at the Calgary Stampede Tribune show.
Heerema was convicted of incidents that took place for more than two decades between 1992 and 2014.
The documents filed in the lawsuit, which was launched in 2017, also allege that Heerema’s abusive behavior may have spanned as far back as 1987.
Heerema has counsel, but no lawyer was present Wednesday. He is not participating in the part of the damages/liability process, which is entirely a Calgary Stampede enterprise.
The lawsuit alleged that one of the victims, who was only 16 at the time, approached a Tribune show host in 1988 and reported being abused by Heerema.
The victim claimed he was told his charges could have serious consequences. He said he did not pursue the case out of fear he might have left the group of young Canadians.
VICTIMS RESPOND: ‘SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED’
CTV Neombs has learned that more than 70 individuals are involved in this collective lawsuit, ranging from those who claim they were lured or photographed, abused or assaulted.
Gavin Price, a lawyer for young Canadians, said Not all of the victims were represented in the group’s lawsuit.
The victims could not be identified under a publication ban, but some made brief statements following court proceedings on Wednesday.
“It’s something that should never have happened and we need to take steps to address it and make sure it never happens again,” one victim said.
“I don’t feel really relieved yet, there’s still a lot of work to do. It’s been challenging. Many of my friends are still from the organization to this day. I have a lot of close relationships, some of those people were victims, others were not, and there’s a lot of camaraderie between people, and my generation that were there.”
Another victim who goes by the initials n. B. he also gave a brief statement noting that more work needs to be done to hold the Stampede accountable.
“So far we just have to take their word that they have made changes to these programs to address the culture that allowed what happened for nearly 30 years and personally I don’t really trust their ability to know how to make a difference,” they said.
N. b. was the representative plaintiff in the group’s lawsuit.
‘NO END IN SIGHT’
Another victim, who asked not to be named, spoke to CTV about the announcement.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction. It is not uncommon for the Stampede to come at the eleventh hour,” they said. “The victims have been going through this since the investigation started in 2012. The victims have not been able to continue since the beginning of this.”
They expressed a degree of skepticism over Stampede’s announcement that it is committed to creating a safe environment for performers.
“It was clear that it wasn’t doing enough…when I was part of the young Canadians program,” they said. “I’m not necessarily optimistic that The Jump has come and will be able to prevent this in the future.
“I don’t think there was any question in anyone’s mind that Stampede was responsible,” they added. “It took since 2013, when all this started, the criminal investigation started, to bring us to a point (today) where Curiosity has now said they are responsible.
“I don’t think it should have lasted that long.
“To hear that Stampede is taking responsibility is obviously a step in the right direction, but again, it’s only a partial settlement agreement. There is still a long way to go, and we are far from being able to put this behind us.
“There is no end in sight for the victims.”
STAMPEDE COMMITS TO SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PERFORMERS
Calgary Stampede said it remains committed to a safe environment for all its performers and has presented the following improvements:
- Implement a comprehensive system of policies and procedures that ensure safe programs and environments including policies for protected detection, duty of care and investigation procedures.
- A commitment to a culture of transparency and disclosure where young people are encouraged to present with concerns, creating an environment where they feel comfortable and feel safe to do so.
- The latest security measures at the performance arts studio, including video surveillance, electronically controlled entry points and viewing glass doors in all rooms and offices.
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