Hockey officials to explain Doan's captaincy
Updated Tue. May. 1 2007 8:55 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Hockey Canada officials will be summoned by a parliamentary committee in Ottawa to explain why they chose Shane Doan as Team Canada captain at a world hockey tournament in Russia.
At issue is a derogatory remark Doan allegedly made toward a French-Canadian linesman during a game in December 2005.
Doan, a captain and forward with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, has denied making any slurs. The allegations have never been proven and Doan was cleared by the NHL after a league investigation into the incident.
But on Tuesday the Conservatives, Liberals, and NDP supported a Bloc Quebecois motion demanding that officials from Hockey Canada and Sport Canada -- two federally-funded but arm's length bodies -- appear before the House of Commons' Official Languages Committee on Thursday.
The officials will have to explain their choice of Doan as captain of Canada's national team at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
Earlier Tuesday, Doan -- a devout Christian who's reportedly teased often by teammates for his unwillingness to swear -- fought to clear his name.
"I'd rather you call me the worst hockey player in the world and say that I don't deserve to be on the team," Doan said after a team practice in Mytischi, Russia. "Anything like that, that's fine. You can say whatever you want.
"But don't question my character. Don't question the basis of what I am."
On Monday in Commons, Opposition leaders Stephane Dion, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe suggested Doan was unfit to lead the Canadian team because of the derogatory comments he allegedly made in the game.
Layton even suggested the comments "cast a shadow" on the team.
The Alberta-born Doan said he's always taken "incredible pride" in being a role model and has always been conscious of how he's carried himself during his 11 years in the NHL.
"I don't understand how people can attack somebody when I was cleared by the NHL,'' said Doan." Anybody that does any type of investigation into it would realize I never said it.
"And yet, they can just throw it out in the House of Commons? Those are our leaders. Those are the people that we're supposed to look to.''
Tory MP defends decision
But a Tory MP on the Commons' committee defended the decision to summon hockey officials.
Michael Chong, who once worked as an information officer for the NHL Players' Association, said the public appearance would allow Hockey Canada to tell its side of the story. He added that Team Canada, unlike the NHL, receives federal funding.
"It's not in the business of government to involve itself in professional hockey matters. But what we're talking about is amateur hockey," said Chong, who until last fall was the Conservative sports minister.
"They are accountable, in part, to the government of Canada."
According to Chong, Sport Canada receives $150 million in annual funding and Hockey Canada gets over $1 million.
Alleged slur
Doan has sued one Liberal parliamentarian for defamation, claiming he had been falsely accused of making anti-French comments.
The case against Denis Coderre is still before the courts, and Coderre has counter-sued.
Doan said on Tuesday that during the game in question against the Montreal Canadiens, he was trying to calm down his goaltender Curtis Joseph during a skirmish -- and said he wasn't even talking to any of the referees or linesmen.
But NHL linesman Michel Cormier insists Doan called him a "F---ing Frenchman."
Cormier, who testified in Coderre's counter-suit, made the comment in a March 2007 statement
"While skating alongside me while I was headed toward my room, that's when (Doan) said the words, 'F------g Frenchman, did a good job,' and he skated away,'' said Cormier.
"(We were) side by side.''
But Doan insisted: "I didn't say anything even remotely close to what is being said that I said.
"I guess that's probably the most frustrating thing is that you can talk to my teammates, you can talk to anybody that knows me. I wouldn't have said that. Some of my best friends are French-Canadians."
Coyotes CEO Jeff Shumway said "there's not a nicer guy in the world" than Doan.
"I wasn't around when whatever happened, happened, but I have never heard Shane say a bad word about anybody," Shumway told the Canadian Press in an interview from Phoenix. "It would certainly surprise me if he ever said anything like that.''
Team Canada forward Mike Cammalleri said he can't imagine his captain ever offending anyone.
"Anybody that knows Shane will tell you that it's a very hard thing for any of us to believe that he said something like that," he said. "He's pretty much the perfect leader when you think of a guy you want for Team Canada."
And Team Canada Coach Andy Murray strongly defended the player he chose to captain his team.
"He's leaving four kids to come over here. He's done enough that he probably had the right to maybe say no and he never has said no to Canada."
Doan, 30, won gold medals playing for Canada at the world championship in 2003 and 2004.
While Doan was clearly upset by the controversy Tuesday as he spoke with reporters, it could also provide a rallying point for the Canadians heading into Wednesday's game against Slovakia (airing on TSN at 12:15 p.m. ET). Doan's team so far has a record of two wins and no losses.
With a report from the Canadian
Updated Tue. May. 1 2007 8:55 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Hockey Canada officials will be summoned by a parliamentary committee in Ottawa to explain why they chose Shane Doan as Team Canada captain at a world hockey tournament in Russia.
At issue is a derogatory remark Doan allegedly made toward a French-Canadian linesman during a game in December 2005.
Doan, a captain and forward with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, has denied making any slurs. The allegations have never been proven and Doan was cleared by the NHL after a league investigation into the incident.
But on Tuesday the Conservatives, Liberals, and NDP supported a Bloc Quebecois motion demanding that officials from Hockey Canada and Sport Canada -- two federally-funded but arm's length bodies -- appear before the House of Commons' Official Languages Committee on Thursday.
The officials will have to explain their choice of Doan as captain of Canada's national team at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
Earlier Tuesday, Doan -- a devout Christian who's reportedly teased often by teammates for his unwillingness to swear -- fought to clear his name.
"I'd rather you call me the worst hockey player in the world and say that I don't deserve to be on the team," Doan said after a team practice in Mytischi, Russia. "Anything like that, that's fine. You can say whatever you want.
"But don't question my character. Don't question the basis of what I am."
On Monday in Commons, Opposition leaders Stephane Dion, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe suggested Doan was unfit to lead the Canadian team because of the derogatory comments he allegedly made in the game.
Layton even suggested the comments "cast a shadow" on the team.
The Alberta-born Doan said he's always taken "incredible pride" in being a role model and has always been conscious of how he's carried himself during his 11 years in the NHL.
"I don't understand how people can attack somebody when I was cleared by the NHL,'' said Doan." Anybody that does any type of investigation into it would realize I never said it.
"And yet, they can just throw it out in the House of Commons? Those are our leaders. Those are the people that we're supposed to look to.''
Tory MP defends decision
But a Tory MP on the Commons' committee defended the decision to summon hockey officials.
Michael Chong, who once worked as an information officer for the NHL Players' Association, said the public appearance would allow Hockey Canada to tell its side of the story. He added that Team Canada, unlike the NHL, receives federal funding.
"It's not in the business of government to involve itself in professional hockey matters. But what we're talking about is amateur hockey," said Chong, who until last fall was the Conservative sports minister.
"They are accountable, in part, to the government of Canada."
According to Chong, Sport Canada receives $150 million in annual funding and Hockey Canada gets over $1 million.
Alleged slur
Doan has sued one Liberal parliamentarian for defamation, claiming he had been falsely accused of making anti-French comments.
The case against Denis Coderre is still before the courts, and Coderre has counter-sued.
Doan said on Tuesday that during the game in question against the Montreal Canadiens, he was trying to calm down his goaltender Curtis Joseph during a skirmish -- and said he wasn't even talking to any of the referees or linesmen.
But NHL linesman Michel Cormier insists Doan called him a "F---ing Frenchman."
Cormier, who testified in Coderre's counter-suit, made the comment in a March 2007 statement
"While skating alongside me while I was headed toward my room, that's when (Doan) said the words, 'F------g Frenchman, did a good job,' and he skated away,'' said Cormier.
"(We were) side by side.''
But Doan insisted: "I didn't say anything even remotely close to what is being said that I said.
"I guess that's probably the most frustrating thing is that you can talk to my teammates, you can talk to anybody that knows me. I wouldn't have said that. Some of my best friends are French-Canadians."
Coyotes CEO Jeff Shumway said "there's not a nicer guy in the world" than Doan.
"I wasn't around when whatever happened, happened, but I have never heard Shane say a bad word about anybody," Shumway told the Canadian Press in an interview from Phoenix. "It would certainly surprise me if he ever said anything like that.''
Team Canada forward Mike Cammalleri said he can't imagine his captain ever offending anyone.
"Anybody that knows Shane will tell you that it's a very hard thing for any of us to believe that he said something like that," he said. "He's pretty much the perfect leader when you think of a guy you want for Team Canada."
And Team Canada Coach Andy Murray strongly defended the player he chose to captain his team.
"He's leaving four kids to come over here. He's done enough that he probably had the right to maybe say no and he never has said no to Canada."
Doan, 30, won gold medals playing for Canada at the world championship in 2003 and 2004.
While Doan was clearly upset by the controversy Tuesday as he spoke with reporters, it could also provide a rallying point for the Canadians heading into Wednesday's game against Slovakia (airing on TSN at 12:15 p.m. ET). Doan's team so far has a record of two wins and no losses.
With a report from the Canadian
