THE CLAIM PERIOD IS IN PROGRESS – THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A CLAIM IS DECEMBER 31, 2024
The lawsuit alleges that from 1987 to 2014, Class Members may have been sexually exploited, sexually lured, and / or sexually assaulted by Philip Heerema, or at risk. The lawsuit also alleges that the Stampede Defendants are directly and vicariously liable for Philip Heerema’s actions.
Who does the settlement affect?
The settlement was approved on behalf of the following people:
all individuals who are male or identified as male, and were students, employees, contractors, or volunteers of the Young Canadians between August 1, 1987, to January 31, 2014.
Being a class member does not guarantee you will be paid any compensation. You must fill out a claim form indicating which type of claimant you are as well as providing the necessary supporting information if you are a Directly Impacted Claimant.
What is in the settlement?
There is a $9,500,000 CAD settlement fund. After the lawyers’ fees, administration fees, and honoraria to the class representatives have been paid, there is a fund of approximately $6.2 million available for distribution to eligible class members who receive different compensation depending on the scope of harm they endured, described below.
As part of the settlement, the Calgary Stampede defendants have also issued a public apology to the class members and their families.
Claimant Categories
1. Student Compromised Experience Claimant – $500
If you were a Senior Student Class Member (senior Male students of the Young Canadians) and you did not have direct harmful conduct with Philip Heerema, but your Young Canadians experience was tarnished, you will receive a set payment of $500.
2. Student Compromised Experience Enhanced Impact Claimant – $1500
If you were a Senior Student Class Member during the Class Period, and did not have direct harmful conduct with Heerema, but you observed or were otherwise aware of improper conduct or had close friends who were affected, and have since experienced feelings of guilt, depression or otherwise negatively impacted mental health, they will receive a set payment of $1500.
3. Directly Impacted Claimant
All other claimants will have to give details about their experiences concerning Philip Heerema. The Claims Administrator will assess your claim for set types of harm which receive points. The more sever the harm experienced, the more points a claim is eligible. The Claims Administrator will also consider the impact of the harm for additional points, including whether the Eligible Class Member:
- required psychiatric treatment, or hospitalization,
- suffering from depression (whether diagnosed as such or not),
- impacts on the ability to carry on the functions of daily living,
- nightmares,
- lack of self-esteem,
- excessive use of or alcohol or drug dependency, or similar,
- suicidal ideations (or prior attempts),
- difficulty in dealing with male authority figures,
- effects on family relationships or employment,
- general anxiety related to their experience with Heerema.
The following descriptions of harms are graphic and can be triggering please take care while reading them.
| Harm Experienced | Points |
| Penetrative sexual activities by Heerema, including some or all of the following: oral sex, digital penetration, and anal sex | 10 |
| Sexual stimulation by or with Heerema, including some or all of the following: masturbation in Heerema’s presence (whether in person or over video or telephone) and mutual masturbation with Heerema | 8 |
| Physical interactions with a sexual purpose with Heerema, including some or all of the following: touching with a sexual purpose or intention, participation in nude or partially nude activities with physical contact, fondling, genital contact, groping, and sexual massages | 6 |
| Received from Heerema, or was solicited by Heerema and did provide sexualized photography, pornography, or nude photographs | 3 |
| Sexualized interactions with Heerema but without direct physical contact, including some or all of: witness to sexualized activities, witness to sexualized comments, witness to sexualized language, inappropriate personal questions, focused and unwanted attention, voyeurism, sexual advances, invitation to sexual touching | 1 |
*Each claimant will only be assigned to one of the below harm levels, whichever gives them the highest number of points.
Once all Eligible Class Members’ claims for a payment from the Settlement Fund have been finally assessed and the points allocated, the Claims Administrator will disburse the Points Distribution Settlement Fund by dividing the total number of points allocated to all Eligible Class Members who made such claims into the total Points Distribution Settlement Fund to determine the value of one point, and then paying the value of the total points awarded to each Eligible Class Member accordingly.
For greater clarity, and by way of example, if the Points Distribution Settlement Fund totals $5,000,000, and 500 points in total are awarded, then each point will have a value of $10,000. This would mean that each Eligible Class Member awarded five points would be paid $50,000.
What do I have to do and by when?
Each claimant must fill out the claim form in full to be RECEIVED by the claim’s administrator by December 31, 2024.
The Claim Form requires you to complete the following information:
- Section A: Class Member Identity information
- Section B: Representative contact information
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- Only fill this out if you are an estate or power of attorney filing on behalf of a class member
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- If so you must attaching documentation showing you have this authority (eg, certificate of appointment of estate trustee, power of attorney, will, marriage certificate…)
- Section C: Attendance Information – when and in what capacity you were affiliated with the Young Canadians
- Section D: Student Compromised Experience Claim
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- Check the box if you meet these criteria as a Senior Student with the Young Canadians between August 1, 1987 and January 31, 2014 and did not suffer direct harm from Heerema
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- Fill out Section J
- Section E: Student Compromised Experience Enhanced Claim
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- Check the box if meet claimant criteria:
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- Senior Student between August 1, 1987, and January 31, 2014
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- You did not have direct harmful conduct with Heerema, but you observed or were otherwise aware of improper conduct or had close friends who were affected
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- You have since experienced feelings of guilt, depression, or otherwise negatively impacted mental health
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- Fill out sections G, H, I, J, K
- Section F: Directly Impacted Claimant
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- Indicate which of the harms you experienced
- Section G: Questionnaire Previously Completed
- Section H: Particulars of Interactions with Heerema
- Section I: Effect of the Interactions with Heerema
- Section J: Direct Deposit information
- Section K: Attestation
