Achi news desk-
A $9.5 million settlement in a lawsuit against the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited, the Calgary Stampede Foundation and Young Canadians will be decided in June.
The class action alleged that the institutions allowed a former member of staff to sexually abuse young boys.
A lawyer from JSS Barristers confirmed to Global News that they received approval to include a settlement notice in court on Tuesday and that a settlement approval hearing has been scheduled for June 28.
Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Limited, the Calgary Stampede Foundation and Young Canadians will provide counsel with a list of all known class members and the list will be used to finalize the settlement, according to documents obtained by Global News.
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“Unfortunately the Stampede have given the wrong notice on their X account – the settlement has not yet been approved,” said Carsten Jensen, solicitor at JSS Solicitors.
The class action is linked to a case involving Philip Heerema who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child pornography and luring.
Heerema admitted he used his job with the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts – which performs every year at the Calgary Stampede – to attract and cultivate a sexual relationship between 2005 and 2014, as well as in 1992.
The school is operated by the Calgary Stampede Foundation.
Heerema was granted day parole in February after a decision by the Parole Board of Canada in January.
–With files from Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
