Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include new statements from the FSIN that were released following publication.
The sports director for the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) has been terminated after referring to a junior Beardy’s Blackhawks hockey team as the “Beardy’s Beerhawks” twice at a youth hockey championship event last weekend.
Corey O’Soup is also the former children’s advocate for the province.
A statement from Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation Chief and Council (BOCN) early Monday called the comments “disrespectful and upsetting to all who overheard what was said.”
It added the comments “demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism, poor judgement, and improper sportsmanship on part of the organizer.”
BOCN said it made a formal complaint and requested a formal apology to be issued to the Under 9 Beardy’s Blackhawks and Beardy’s membership.
Earlier this week, O’Soup apologized via a four-minute long Facebook live video. He said he was sorry for any pain his comments may have caused.
In an interview with Global News, O’Soup again apologized about the incident.
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“I just want to apologize to those young people that heard me say that name. I was not making fun of you, and I would do anything to make it better for you,” O’Soup said.
“I can’t believe I said those words. It’s just unbelievable to me considering I know how bad and how traumatic alcohol has been for our Indigenous people and even how bad it’s been even for me and my own family and the impact of it,” O’Soup said.
“It’s not something I would joke about or intentionally say.”
O’Soup understands his comments may have caused pain due to the community overcoming trauma associated with addiction.
The FSIN confirmed his termination to Global News but said it could not say more about the matter. O’Soup said he started the role less than three months ago and was therefore in a probationary period. He said he was suspended on Monday and then received an email “a couple days later” telling him he was terminated.
On Saturday evening, FSIN released a new statement confirming the termination and saying leadership and staff “are outraged by the recent report of inappropriate harassment at the workplace.”
“We are taking immediate action and the matter will be robustly investigated. The betrayal of the people we serve is reprehensible,” FSIN Vice Chief Heather Bear said in the statement.
Bear added this is a personal matter and the FSIN cannot share details “other than action is being taken.”
“The recent termination of Mr. O’Soup was not only in regards to the comments he made at the recent Regina tournament regarding Beardy’s U9 hockey team, but an issue of inappropriate harassment external to this issue,” Bear added.
In an email to Global News on Sunday morning, O’Soup declined to comment until he sought legal opinion.
Since the incident the youth hockey championship, O’Soup says there have been “mean, nasty things” said about him on social media.
“Some people have threatened my personal safety on Facebook, and that’s a little concerning for me and especially for my family that they have to see those things,” O’Soup said.
O’Soup says it would be difficult to appeal the decision and would like to move on.
Global News reached out to BOCN but did not receive a response before deadline.
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