Calgary Stampede admits liability in decades-long sex assaults

[GordonBlue]

'We are deeply sorry': Calgary Stampede admits liability in decades-long sex assaults involving Young Canadians performers

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/we-are-de...mers-1.6495227

The Calgary Stampede has accepted liability and negligence that the organization was aware an adult staffer with The Young Canadians had been abusing teenage boys for years before a police investigation was launched.

After originally denying any wrongdoing, the Stampede has now agreed to pay 100 per cent of liability damages, but punitive damages have not been agreed on.

"I don't think there was any question in anyone's minds that the Stampede was liable," "It's taken since 2013, when this whole thing started, the criminal investigation started, to get us to a point (today) where the Stampede has now said they are liable.

[monkey brewery]

"After originally denying any wrongdoing, the Stampede has now agreed to pay 100 per cent of liability damages, but punitive damages have not been agreed on."

What are the difference between punitive and liability damages?

[MoneyGuy]

What, they knew there was sexual abuse and did nothing? WTF!

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

What, they knew there was sexual abuse and did nothing? WTF!

That rock you're living under, it's comfy?

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1684739510847078400

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

So why did they suddenly grow a conscience? What changed, after ten years of looking the other way?

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

So why did they suddenly grow a conscience? What changed, after ten years of looking the other way?

They got sued and realized they would lose, so now they say they are sorry...that they got hit with this lawsuit and hope this is enough to not be hit with punitive damages as well

Details of the lawsuit, shows Calgary Stampede had lots of opportunities to do right and failed to do so. Pretty damning.

https://jssbarristers.ca/class-actio...de-foundation/

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

So why did they suddenly grow a conscience? What changed, after ten years of looking the other way?

Ya they are sorry now that they got caught. What an absolute embarrassment of an organization. Not surprised that the provincial government just shrugged their shoulders and said “nothing to see here”.

[Scornfire]

Having been heavily involved for many years on park, this surprises me not at all. I've barely ever known anyone on the board or in upper management at Stampede (outside of Pat O`Brien, shout out Pat) to be worth the boots they walk in, hope this results in some actual intervention/house cleaning, but I doubt it. Keep siphoning funds, ignoring volunteer/staff complaints and calling yourselves a non profit homies, you're the real heros

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Yoho

https://twitter.com/user/status/1684739510847078400

Not to excuse what happened here at all, but it's weirdly convenient how quiet Chahal was when his boss was exposed for sexual assault. Maybe George just "experienced it differently". Virtue signaling tool.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Not to excuse what happened here at all, but it's weirdly convenient how quiet Chahal was when his boss was exposed for sexual assault. Maybe George just "experienced it differently". Virtue signaling tool.

Did he put out any sort of statement earlier this year when his government restored funding to Hockey Canada after all their issues with sexual scandals?

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1685326280550436865

[powderjunkie]

If anyone is wondering, the C-suite has pretty much entirely turned over since the bulk of these events transpired - though you'd have to parse the exact timeline.

https://calgaryherald.com/business/l...lgary-stampede

There are a few long time folks who were middle mgmt and now higher up, but hard to say how directly they had any responsibility with The YCs...the YCs operated as a bit of a silo, which of course allowed this environment to exist.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Not to excuse what happened here at all, but it's weirdly convenient how quiet Chahal was when his boss was exposed for sexual assault. Maybe George just "experienced it differently". Virtue signaling tool.

I am almost 100% positive he was not a MP when those allegations came to light. The “nothing to see here” vibe from established Calgary after the Stampede ignored these allegations for over 30 years is not surprising though.

Premier wants answers but not accountability, keep the money flowing to the “not for profit” stampede. Feel for these young men, they knew it would take courage to come forward, they knew most of established Calgary would avoid criticism of the Stampede at all costs and they came forward anyway.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Yoho

https://twitter.com/user/status/1685326280550436865

this comment after the tweet jumped out at me.

"They sure responded to that an awful lot quicker than they responded to all the kids being assaulted."

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

this comment after the tweet jumped out at me.

"They sure responded to that an awful lot quicker than they responded to all the kids being assaulted."

Now that these children have come forward it is all about protecting the brand for the Stampede and a lot of official Calgary. They don’t want to talk about 1988-2023, they want to move forward.

[Amethyst]

If your response to the Stampede covering up years of sexual abuse and someone suggesting their funding be pulled as a result is, "But Hockey Canada did it," you need to re-think your response.

Both are wrong and both should face serious consequences (loss of funding, complete removal of people in charge, being shut-down?). Just because one received a tepid response, doesn't mean the other one should too.

Both should have serious consequences and if it affects a big event in a major way, maybe that should be the problem of the organization to deal with the situation quickly rather than us to give them a slap on the wrist and move on?

[PsYcNeT]

The Herald comment section is a pretty good snapshot of how the idealogue focus on "grooming" is more about vilifying a perceived political enemy and not about protecting children at all.

"The perp is in jail! Why punish the group that allowed it to happen?"

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

The Herald comment section is a pretty good snapshot of how the idealogue focus on "grooming" is more about vilifying a perceived political enemy and not about protecting children at all.

"The perp is in jail! Why punish the group that allowed it to happen?"

I feel like there should be some sort of 'law' (in the Poe's Law sense, not criminal) about using newspaper or youtube comments to support any argument. It's like looking to a cesspool for evidence of an area's hydro-morphology.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

I feel like there should be some sort of 'law' (in the Poe's Law sense, not criminal) about using newspaper or youtube comments to support any argument. It's like looking to a cesspool for evidence of an area's hydro-morphology.

Can we loop Twitter or X, Facebook, Telegram or any other social media into your "law"