The $9.5 million sex abuse class action lawsuit against Stampede is moving forward with 300 plaintiffs

About 300 people have joined a $9.5 million class-action lawsuit against the Calgary Stampede, admitting negligence after a serial predator worked with teenage artists from the Young Canadians for decades, a judge heard Tuesday.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs and Stampede were in court Tuesday to brief Court of King’s Bench Judge Paul Jeffrey on the distribution of the funds and to work out details of a plan to notify all potential class members of an upcoming hearing to approve the settlement inform.

About two dozen of the 300 plaintiffs fall into the third, most serious category of harm caused by Philip Heerema’s abusive actions, the judge heard at the planned settlement hearing.

Carsten Jensen, one of the lawyers at JSS Barristers, called the case a “long-running and hard-fought class action.”

“This is not the end of the case, but we hope it is the beginning of the end,” Jensen said.

“We also hope it is the beginning of a new future for the class members, many of whom have been severely affected by (Philip) Heerema and the Stampede’s failure to protect them.”

Sexual abuse of young people

Heerema worked for the Young Canadians for 36 years, first as a performer and later as an employee. The Young Canadians, made up largely of youth performers, can be seen at the Calgary Stampede’s Grandstand Show every night in July.

In 2018, Heerema admitted to sexually abusing six teenagers as part of his employment at the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts, and admitted using his position between 1992 and 2014 to lure and entice the boys into sexual relationships .

Heerema pleaded guilty to eight charges, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child pornography and enticement. He was sentenced to ten years in prison but has since been released on parole.

On Tuesday, Judge Jeffrey heard there are three categories of claimants who will receive compensation based on the extent of harm they suffered during their time with the Young Canadians.

Students who were members of Young Canadians but were not victims of Heerema will receive a “modest compensation.”

2 dozen in the worst affected group

The second group includes those who were not directly harmed by Heerema, but were witnesses to the incidents.

The remainder of the settlement funds will benefit approximately two dozen people who were directly affected by Heerema’s actions.

Attorneys are now tasked with tracking down as many potential class members as possible through various means such as social media, press releases, websites, etc., and informing them of the right to attend the settlement approval hearing, including the right to object to the settlement to insert.

The Calgary Stampede must also post the notice on its Instagram account.

“We believe most people have heard about this who may have been affected here,” Jensen said.

Once the judge signs off on the settlement at the approval hearing in June, applicants will go through an evaluation process with trauma-informed evaluators to determine which category they fall into.

Last year, the Stampede admitted negligence and breach of duty and agreed to pay all damages.

During a parole hearing in January, Heerema told the board that there were other victims who had not come forward.

For anyone who has experienced sexual assault, there is support through crisis hotlines and local support services through the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.