Orillia Minor Hockey’s board of directors is facing significant internal discord following a contentious amalgamation vote and a series of resignations that have now been rescinded.
According to an email obtained by OrilliaMatters, Steve Fagan, board president, and Nathalie Cansino, board vice-president, resigned from the board on Jan. 23.
In the same email, Fagan announced the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) had overturned the votes of both Orillia and Oro Minor Hockey to merge their rep programs.
In the email, Fagan claims Brad Carnahan, director of sponsorship on the Orillia board, and two longtime local coaches had petitioned OMHA to overturn the decision, alleging misinformation had influenced the vote.
“It is not surprising in today’s political climate that those who yell the loudest and lie on the ground kicking and screaming the most get what they want,” Fagan wrote in his email. “In my opinion, this is self-serving and short-sighted.”
Fagan argued the “recent action by Brad Carnahan is not in the best interest of our membership (the players) or community at large and I think Orillia Minor Hockey will suffer greatly from this short-sightedness.”
Carnahan confirmed to OrilliaMatters he petitioned OMHA on Jan. 22, requesting an emergency review of the merger vote and its cancellation.
He alleges the voting process was flawed, claiming non-parent members were allowed to vote despite previous assurances only parents of current players could participate.
“We were also told that only parents could vote, and none of our other association members, such as current non-parent coaches, life members, etc., would be allowed to vote,” Carnahan stated in his email to OMHA.
He further argued the vote results did not meet the required two-thirds majority and accused the association of withholding the final vote count.
“At this point, the association has refused to divulge the vote count to the members who have requested it,” he wrote.
“We now believe that it did not reach the published two-thirds majority. Many parents claim to have voted ‘no,’ so are now asking how is it possible that the vote reached the two-thirds majority when large majorities of team parents voted ‘no’ and have begun to discuss the results.”
Amid the fallout, he claims a notice to board members was initially expected Monday night to convene a special meeting to address the issue and continue association business.
However, a subsequent notice revealed Fagan, Cansino and three other board members who had resigned — Chad White, director of education and development, Gord Bremner, director of equipment, and administrative assistant Jen McLean — were rescinding their resignations.
“I’ve reconsidered my resignation for the benefit of the organization and the players of Orillia Minor Hockey. The OMHA is aware,” Fagan wrote in an email sent Monday night and obtained by OrilliaMatters.
Carnahan contends the lack of quorum (having enough board members to meet) prevented the board from officially acknowledging the resignations, enabling the members to reclaim their positions.
“Normally, the board would have acknowledged the resignations,” he explained. “Because we didn’t have a quorum, we couldn’t do any of that.”
On Tuesday, Carnahan says, he received notice from Fagan that he was suspended from the board and his role as a U18 team trainer. Carnahan believes the suspension was related to his decision to challenge the vote and to email board members additional information about the merger.
“I provided them with facts that they probably didn’t know — facts that weren’t being told to them about how the merger may impact their kids. It wasn’t well received,” said Carnahan, who is also a life member of Orillia Minor Hockey for his decades of volunteer work.
Despite the ongoing turmoil, Carnahan anticipates a re-vote on the amalgamation next month. However, he is uncertain how the controversy will affect the membership.
“I don’t think the actual parents and players are going to care that much necessarily,” he said. “They just want a good place to play on a good team. I don’t think they are necessarily going to involve themselves in the politics of minor hockey, which are awful right now.”
In an email to OrilliaMatters on Tuesday afternoon, Fagan confirmed all board members who resigned are returning to their previous roles. He said they are returning to ensure all players in rep and house league get to experience a “positive ending” to their 2024-25 season.
“The Orillia Minor Hockey board has always supported the reorganization of our rep program with Oro Minor Hockey,” he said. “The board believes that this will benefit all players in rep and house league/local league in Orillia (and Oro) by providing a wider range of local options to play hockey.”
Fagan confirmed the decision to amalgamate with Oro will be determined by membership through another vote.
“There will be an announcement to all members later today to vote on the question of reorganization of our rep program with Oro Minor Hockey,” he explained. “The Ontario Minor Hockey Association has provided the criteria to follow, all documentation to follow, will oversee the vote, count the votes, and determine the final results. They will ensure the fairness and validity of the vote and results.”
Officials from OMHA did not respond to OrilliaMatters’ requests for comment.
