All governments must hold Calgary Stampede accountable after sex abuse settlement: MP

globalnews.ca:

All levels of government must hold management of the Calgary Stampede to account over how it handled years of sexual abuse at a performance school it runs, says one of the city’s 10 members of Parliament.

“All levels of government have role to play to ensure that if any taxpayers dollars are (being granted), we ensure safeguards are in place,” George Chahal, a Liberal MP for Calgary Skyview, said in an interview Monday.

Neither municipal nor provincial governments have indicated there will financial implications for the world-famous rodeo and midway. The federal government has not provided ongoing funding to the Stampede, although during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022 it did provide $14 million in grants.

Last week, a partial settlement was reached in a class-action lawsuit alleging the Stampede allowed a staffer at its Young Canadians School of Performing Arts to groom and abuse boys. Phillip Heerema is serving a 10-year sentence for luring six boys into sexual relationships when he worked for the school.

The abuse dates back to at least 1992. Joel Cowley, Calgary Stampede chief executive officer, has said the organization should have learned about and acted on allegations much earlier than it did.

Chahal said the Stampede’s expressions of remorse, while they may be sincere, are inadequate. The public deserves to know what happened and someone needs to be held accountable, he said.

“I’m focused on continuing to ensure that accountability is provided to the public and that this organization is being transparent, but also on reconciliation with the victims.”

The lawsuit is still before the courts. Damages are to be worked out later this summer, pending the approval of the settlement from a judge at an upcoming