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Former NHL star calls for tougher laws for child sex abuse offenders with Victor Walk able to find that one person you can share your story with and not have the information used EMC News – Theo Fleury against them.” “Because this issue has shame never let his size get in the way during his 18-year NHL career attached to it and the word and he made sure that didn’t ‘sexual,’ people want to run the happen with his latest mission, other way,” Fleury continued. as a champion for stricter leg- “But this is a sad reality of the islation for child sexual abuse world we live in and we have to take our heads out of the sand. offenders. The 44 year-old former pro- This is the highest epidemic on fessional hockey player, known the planet.” It was without pomp and for his diminutive stature and speed on the ice (he won the circumstance that Fleury came Stanley Cup in 1988-89 and an through town, which was his Olympic gold medal in 2002), second last stop (he was at the passed through Carleton Place Perth Subway the previous day) on his Victor Walk May 22. Fleu- before ending the 10-day walk ry and his entourage made a stop at Parliament Hill on May 23. at Subway to refuel, sign auto- It began May 14 at the Child graphs, greet fans and spread the Abuse Monument in Toronto message of the walk, what he with Fleury walking approxicalls ‘The Orange Movement.’ mately 40 kilometres a day. In It should be a familiar colour addition to raising awareness of for Fleury, who spent the ma- better penalties for child sexual jority of his career as a Calgary abuse offenders, he also colFlame. Unfortunately, the topic lected funds for three charities: also hits close to home for him Siksika Nations, Little Warriors after he was sexually abused as and the Quinte Sexual Assault a teen by former hockey coach Centre. Mayor Wendy LeBlanc preGraham James. After originally receiving a sented Fleury with some gifts two-year sentence when former on behalf of the Town of CarNHLer Sheldon Kennedy came leton Place and staff and board forward with his story, Fleury’s members from Lanark County confessions in his 2010 memoir Interval House came to greet ‘Playing With Fire,’ as well as the man executive director Erin accounts from his cousin, Todd Lee-Todd called an “inspiraHolt, caused a Manitoba court tion.” “When you have that power to lengthen James’ sentence to five years in February. He said and notoriety, to speak out about hearing the tales of others who abuse, he’s making it okay to have been sexually abused and talk about it,” she commented. their words of encouragement “...There aren’t a lot of men in for his cause, have made all the world who would take on the difference. “I’ve had lots of that role.” “Given the nature of his people that have come up to me and been shy and afraid to tell willingness to do that, we, as their story but that’s why we’re an agency, felt we should come here,” he stressed. “By the end over and say that we totally supof our encounter, they are smil- port what we’re doing and that ing and happy and that’s what we live it every day with those it’s all about it. It’s about being trying to find their healing path
and the courage,” Todd continued. “He’s done that. He’s found that.” Sean Bai, owner of the Carleton Place Subway, which some locations throughout eastern Ontario fed and supported Fleury and his team, was excited to welcome the hockey player. “The offer came and we decided to help out with the costs,” he noted.
By ASHLEY KULP akulp@perfprint.ca
Team
Former NHL hockey star Theo Fleury stopped at the Carleton Place Subway May 22 on his 10-day Victor Walk to raise awareness of stricter legislation for child sexual abuse offenders. Above, Fleury signs a copy of his 2010 memoir ‘Playing With Fire,’ for fan Wesley Rees. Left, Lanark County Interval House (LCIH) executive director Erin Lee-Todd pins an LCIH button on Fleury. LCIH staff came out to support the walk. Photos by ASHLEY KULP
Origin of walk In coming up with the concept of the Victor Walk, whose namesake is a frog (which can look left and right, but never backward and only forward), Fleury said some of his best conversations have been out on the open road. “I thought, ‘Let’s walk from somewhere to somewhere and see what happens,” he said during an interview with the Canadian Gazette. “And it has truly been a lifechanging experience for all of us on the walk.” He admitted the journey from Toronto to Ottawa and often walking alone on the highways became somewhat of a “vision quest.” “It’s a struggle: walking and being with your own thoughts,” Fleury remarked, stating that the route was chosen in order to get the “biggest bang for our buck.” “Starting in Toronto, the media centre of Canada, was a good thing for our cause,” he said. “I think it was good to have social media as well. We have been tweeting and posting on Facebook where we’ve been and it’s getting out to people.” Adding to the struggle was the fact he didn’t train before embarking on his journey. It wasn’t long before the physical See FLEURY A/CP9
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THE EMC - A/CP1 - Thursday, May 30, 2013