David Wilson Calls for New Leadership at Skate Canada

[gkelly]

Thank you for your detailed explanation. Do you know anything about how YKW affected ice costs, ice times, & ice access for figure skaters in the US?

I would say it varies widely depending where one usually skates, what the rules are in that jurisdiction and neighboring areas, whether individual rinks or clubs have been able to offer ice time for figure skating practice at all, what adjustments those rinks/clubs have made to comply with local rules, and whether they have adjusted their pricing structures as a result.

Undoubtedly the same is true in Canada and other large countries with multiple rinks in multiple parts of the country as well.

 

[Judy]

Oh wait, your country is now experiencing people constantly trying to get around or protest the rules while others actually follow them? I thought based on FSU comments that only Americans (as a whole) broke rules.

Oh there are def people. I would be shocked if they weren’t in every country. The U.S. was always different simply because of Trump/Fox and the effect on the cult etc. How damaging that was.

But they don’t account for all our numbers of course.
I would say we’re largely compliant .. I personally don’t know anyone myself. Here’s the article and keep in mind it was freaking cold that day .

Parliament Hill anti-lockdown protest attracts small but vociferous crowd

While attendance at Sunday afternoon’s anti-lockdown protest on Parliament Hill fell abysmally short of the 100,000 that organizers said they’d hoped for, the 150 to 200 who braved the sunshine on their largely maskless faces were certainly vociferous in their opposition to the...

ottawacitizen.com

 

[barbarafan]

Oh wait, your country is now experiencing people constantly trying to get around or protest the rules while others actually follow them? I thought based on FSU comments that only Americans (as a whole) broke rules.

No we have idiots and cultists as well just not as many but still disgusting. I personally have only heard one comment in my hearing at one of the 4 stores which I limit myself to. Usually we thank the PPL at the store for squirting our hands with sanitizer and disinfecting our baskets and tell them to stay safe. Once there was a man who said " Ahhhhh We all have to go sometime" It was like Jesus parting the Red Sea the way everyone distanced themself. My pet peeve among some Canadians are ones who are either immigrants or their parents were who *itch about immigrants coming into the country. Anyways the 8:00pm curfew seems to be bringing the numbers down a lot.

 

[Judy]

No we have idiots and cultists as well just not as many but still disgusting. I personally have only heard one comment in my hearing at one of the 4 stores which I limit myself to. Usually we thank the PPL at the store for squirting our hands with sanitizer and disinfecting our baskets and tell them to stay safe. Once there was a man who said " Ahhhhh We all have to go sometime" It was like Jesus parting the Red Sea the way everyone distanced themself. My pet peeve among some Canadians are ones who are either immigrants or their parents were who *itch about immigrants coming into the country. Anyways the 8:00pm curfew seems to be bringing the numbers down a lot.

You must be in Quebec? I have friends there but I didn’t realize the curfew was still in effect.

Quebec is a complicated province.

I giggled at the red sea comment .

 

[mjb52]

Jesus parted the Red Sea?

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

Jesus parted the Red Sea?

Uhhh, no.

 

[barbarafan]

You must be in Quebec? I have friends there but I didn’t realize the curfew was still in effect.

Quebec is a complicated province.

I giggled at the red sea comment .

It was supposed to finish Feb 8th but was extended as we weren't as low as they hope...I am not sure of the new date but some towns which did really well have had their their curfew extended to 9:30pm. Big fines are applied so if you are not an essential worker with ID or are walking a dog it will not be worth it. There are a few restrictions which were lifted on Feb 8th. With the masks they asked PPL nicely to pls wear them but I believe the crackdown came in early July. You can be fined up to $6000.00 in some places...or so the signs say. Don't leave home without it.

 

[overedge]

To give an idea of how inconsistent the public health regulations in Canada are around skating, in my province all adult group indoor sports were banned in February (thanks to some covidiot adult hockey players). So all the skating clubs that had adult sessions had to cancel them. But I can still go to a public skate session on the very same ice surface. Go figure.

 

[Judy]

It was supposed to finish Feb 8th but was extended as we weren't as low as they hope...I am not sure of the new date but some towns which did really well have had their their curfew extended to 9:30pm. Big fines are applied so if you are not an essential worker with ID or are walking a dog it will not be worth it. There are a few restrictions which were lifted on Feb 8th. With the masks they asked PPL nicely to pls wear them but I believe the crackdown came in early July. You can be fined up to $6000.00 in some places...or so the signs say. Don't leave home without it.

Where are you in QC? One of my friends is in Aylmer.

 

[Dave of the North]

Lockdown or open, variants or not - all locations peaked a couple of weeks after Christmas and cases have been steadily going down since.

Back to the topic at hand - the annual report for 2019-2020 does show how they measure up so far against the goals of the strategic plan.

2019-2020 Annual Report

Some numbers to be concerned about - television viewers 2.1 million, goal was 2.4 Million; ticket revenue 92% of budget. (95% was the target)

Skate for Life registrants slightly below target, volunteers below target, conversion rate to figure skating programs below target.

Their year goes to March 31, 2020, so would have had a little bit of impact from YKW.

 

[barbarafan]

Where are you in QC? One of my friends is in Aylmer.

I am on the island of MTL but do not live in downtown Mtl. If you have ever gone to Challenge when it was held at Quatre glace in Pierrefonds I am a 10min car ride to the arena.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere or not, but Skate Canada has issued a statement in regards to this feedback that has been received on pan demic decisions resulting in event cancellations.

SKATE CANADA STATEMENT ON PANDEMIC DECISIONS

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada would like to respond to the article published by Jack Gallagher on Japan Forward and a series of social media Tweets by reporter Philip Hersh on February 13, 2021. Skate Canada stands behind its difficult decision to cancel the 2021 Canadian Tire National Skating...

skatecanada.ca

URL won’t work because of certain words being used, but can be accessed right from the Skate Canada website homepage: https://skatecanada.ca/. Or you can click on the URL and replace the *'s with pan demic as one word.

 

[sap5]

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere or not, but Skate Canada has issued a statement in regards to this feedback that has been received on ********* decisions resulting in event cancellations.

https://skatecanada.ca/2021/02/skate-canada-statement-on-*********-decisions/

URL won’t work because of certain words being used, but can be accessed right from the Skate Canada website homepage: https://skatecanada.ca/

Sounds like many felt that they were not involved in the decision making.

 

[Mont]

Sounds like many felt that they were not involved in the decision making.

Wow, what a terrible statement. All that did was breathe new life into questioning the decision since it added nothing substantively.

 

[overedge]

Wow, what a terrible statement. All that did was breathe new life into questioning the decision since it added nothing substantively.

Yep. This is yet another example of Skate Canada's tone-deaf leadership. "We made our decision and everyone agrees with it" comes across as "how dare you question us". And calling out Japan Ice rather than David Wilson, who actually made the statements in question (Japan Ice just reported them), looks really passive-aggressive and unprofessional.

Rather than claiming that everyone stands behind the decision, it would have been a lot better to explain the process by which the decision was made, and who was involved in making it. I don't disagree that it was the right decision, but this press release is not the way to defend the decision.

 

[skategal]

Yep. This is yet another example of Skate Canada's tone-deaf leadership. "We made our decision and everyone agrees with it" comes across as "how dare you question us". And calling out Japan Ice rather than David Wilson, who actually made the statements in question (Japan Ice just reported them), looks really passive-aggressive and unprofessional.

Rather than claiming that everyone stands behind the decision, it would have been a lot better to explain the process by which the decision was made, and who was involved in making it. I don't disagree that it was the right decision, but this press release is not the way to defend the decision.

I almost feel like it’s a response to this thread on FSU.

I half expected them to list posters from FSU who said they agreed with the decision and to have a personal shout out to those here who were thinking it could have been moved. LOL

 

[overedge]

And it wouldn't have been too difficult to figure out that naming Phil Hersh would provoke a response like this:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1362119073572741123

Had good folks at @SkateCanada read my tweets carefully, they would see I did not question nationals decision but had issues with their having a leader who lives overseas; is shameless on conflicts of interest; under whom they are not producing new talent
I did agree with @mhjd_85, two-time world champ and Olympic bronze medalist in pairs, in wondering why SKate Canada didn’t try a virtual nationals

 

[Judy]

To give an idea of how inconsistent the public health regulations in Canada are around skating, in my province all adult group indoor sports were banned in February (thanks to some covidiot adult hockey players). So all the skating clubs that had adult sessions had to cancel them. But I can still go to a public skate session on the very same ice surface. Go figure.

There’s a big difference with indoor hockey because it’s a contact sport and then being indoors with not so great ventilation. That was before Feb I believe In my city.

People/kids have not been allowed to play hockey in the outdoor rinks at least here in Ottawa from the beginning which was sometime in January.

 

[thvu]

Skate Canada gonna Skate Canada.

 

[Mont]

Yep. This is yet another example of Skate Canada's tone-deaf leadership. "We made our decision and everyone agrees with it" comes across as "how dare you question us". And calling out Japan Ice rather than David Wilson, who actually made the statements in question (Japan Ice just reported them), looks really passive-aggressive and unprofessional.

Rather than claiming that everyone stands behind the decision, it would have been a lot better to explain the process by which the decision was made, and who was involved in making it. I don't disagree that it was the right decision, but this press release is not the way to defend the decision.

Totally agree with all of this. Regardless of whether the decision was right or wrong, this kind of a response is just further evidence that there needs to be a major change to the leadership. It's getting the feeling of watching a slow motion train wreck.

 

[Dave of the North]

I almost feel like it’s a response to this thread on FSU.

I half expected them to list posters from FSU who said they agreed with the decision and to have a personal shout out to those here who were thinking it could have been moved. LOL

I was expecting at least some recognition for looking at their Strategic Plan and their Annual Report.

 

[Mont]

And it wouldn't have been too difficult to figure out that naming Phil Hersh would provoke a response like this:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1362119073572741123

I would also agree with everything Hersh has said other than I think the problem is not just with the president but rather goes much deeper into the organization both on the senior volunteer (president/board) and staff sides.

 

[Colonel Green]

And it wouldn't have been too difficult to figure out that naming Phil Hersh would provoke a response like this:

https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1362119073572741123

Hersh’s response is somewhat disingenuous since none of that really has anything to do with Wilson’s interview that he was notionally talking about in the tweets.

 

[sap5]

Hersh’s response is somewhat disingenuous since none of that really has anything to do with Wilson’s interview that he was notionally talking about in the tweets.

Hersh is a jerk who still doesn't know how to cover figure skating even though he's covered it for years. A real reporter would have actually reported on what is going wrong within Skate Canada, and not just take potshots at a person he dislikes. Living abroad doesn't mean one can't get their work done, as seen by teleworkers all over the planet right now. Of anyone, he's the last person who should be accusing someone else of not being able to do her job, as he hasn't done a proper job as a reporter for years, if ever.

 

[overedge]

Hersh’s response is somewhat disingenuous since none of that really has anything to do with Wilson’s interview that he was notionally talking about in the tweets.

Yes, but it's all about him. So if he thinks Skate Canada is making him into a target, he's going to take full advantage of that attention, and turn it into "look at me being attacked! and here is why I am the one who is right"

Also, Meagan Duhamel said that she understood why SC couldn't hold a nationals because it wouldn't be a fair playing field. https://adivinesport.com/2021/02/13/meagan-duhamel-life-after-the-olympics/
So Phil is also being disingenuous in suggesting that she agrees with what he said.

 

[Judy]

Wow, what a terrible statement. All that did was breathe new life into questioning the decision since it added nothing substantively.

I disagree. It’s the reality right now. I have no idea about the leadership with Skate Canada but they aren’t lying about everything that was mentioned in the statement.

Nobody I “know“:is flying. Everyone is home generally speaking. My friend’s husband has been laid off from Air Canada for close to a year.

 

[4rkidz]

By now it is clear that it is possible to hold skating competitions and other sporting events without endangering the health of those involved. Skate Canada couldn’t, or wouldn't, take the necessary steps to do so - but this doesn't make skating events in the time of CV inherently unsafe.

There is a reason why the U.S. has nearly twice as many confirmed COVID-19 deaths per capita as Canada. Canada's mentality as a nation is one based on caution and listening and believing our health care leaders & politicians in addition to our health care system. Skate Canada is merely a reflection of that mentality.

 

[tony]

There is a reason why the U.S. has nearly twice as many confirmed *********-19 deaths per capita as Canada. Canada's mentality as a nation is one based on caution and listening and believing our health care leaders & politicians in addition to our health care system. Skate Canada is merely a reflection of that mentality.

False false false.

These posts continue to come up and it’s not reality just because you personally choose to act with caution.

Broken record all over this board but in many places in the US, people either had to go back to some kind of work or didn’t get unemployment benefits or the benefits ended or whatever. Of course not everyone was in this situation, but plenty of people were. Canadians were given much more government support and their numbers shot up quickly as well, so what’s the excuse there? Surely not that everyone acts with caution as a nation.

Try again.

 

[skatingguy]

False false false.

These posts continue to come up and it’s not reality just because you personally choose to act with caution.

Broken record all over this board but in many places in the US, people either had to go back to some kind of work or didn’t get unemployment benefits or the benefits ended or whatever. Of course not everyone was in this situation, but plenty of people were. Canadians were given much more government support and their numbers shot up quickly as well, so what’s the excuse there? Surely not that everyone acts with caution as a nation.

Try again.

In this case we're talking about institutional reactions, and not the reactions of the citizenry. Canadian institutions tend to be highly risk adverse, and cancelling events during the pandemic fits with this line of thinking. I don't think it's inaccurate to say that on the whole Canadian institutions have taken more drastic measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic then we've seen in the US, where reactions were more politically polarized, and varied greatly from state to state, and region to region.

 

[tony]

In this case we're talking about institutional reactions, and not the reactions of the citizenry. Canadian institutions tend to be highly risk adverse, and cancelling events during the ********* fits with this line of thinking. I don't think it's inaccurate to say that on the whole Canadian institutions have taken more drastic measures to reduce the impact of the ********* then we've seen in the US, where reactions were more politically polarized, and varied greatly from state to state, and region to region.

I think that's an assumption on your part based on the actual words that were written. 'Canada's mentality as a nation' means everyone, not just what institutions have done. And again, it just reads as another post about how Canada cares so much versus others who, as a whole, supposedly don't (almost always the US). Canada's mentality as a nation has not been 100% to sit at home and do nothing, very obviously. But I'll keep reading blanket statements that suggest such. You know this isn't the first time these kinds of statements have been made, even if you interpreted this particular one differently

If I said 'the US' mentality as a nation is to sit home and behave', no doubt some of you would come back and say 'obviously not'. Why? Our numbers, even if most people are being reasonably cautious. So look at your own numbers, too. But also realize Canadians were given a lot of money to be out of work and some people didn't even qualify for unemployment here from day one.