Calgary Stampede agrees to pay $9.5M to victims of pedophile

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A class action had been brought against the Calgary Stampede alleging the organization allowed the sexual assault of young boys by an arts school employee.

The Canadian Press

The Calgary Stampede has agreed to pay $9.5 million in damages to class-action plaintiffs who allege the organization allowed an employee to x27;an art school to sexually assault young boys.

The employee in question, Phillip Heerema, was sentenced in 2018 to 10 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child pornography and luring. He was recently granted day parole.

He also admitted to using his position within the The Young Canadians school, which performs annually at the Calgary Stampede, to lure and groom six boys for sex between 2005 and 2014, as well as in 1992.

< p class="StyledBodyHtmlParagraph-sc-48221190-4 hnvfyV">Last fall, the Stampede admitted negligence and breach of duty and agreed to pay all damages, but the figure final had not yet been determined.

Lawyer Cory Ryan, who represents the Calgary Stampede and the Stampede Foundation, which operates The Young Canadians School, said Tuesday the amount had been provisionally settled.

Representative Plaintiffs and Stampede Defendants have reached an interim resolution on damages and costs, subject to approval by the court and the establishment of an approved claims and distribution process, he said in a statement.

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Cory Ryan said the agreement also includes a commitment to additional measures and programs.

According to his statement, the resolution was adopted following extensive discussions towards a settlement, with the assistance of two judges of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta.

If formally implemented, the parties hope that the resolution will provide affected class members with some form of outcome and assistance in the healing process, he declared.

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Philip Heerema pleaded guilty to sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child pornography and luring.

One of the plaintiffs in the case, who cannot be identified because he is a victim of sexual assault, has told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that the financial settlement is good news, but that it is provisional and that many questions still remain unanswered.

The Stampede had every opportunity to make the situation easier for the victims, but they chose to drag things out as long as they could. have done, he said.

He explains that the $9.5 million is based on the initial number of plaintiffs, but also attempts to take into account people who may not have yet joined the lawsuit.

About three dozen plaintiffs were initially part of the class action.