'All I did was destroy': Day parole for Calgary sex offender in Young Canadians case

A man sentenced to 10 years in prison for decades of sex offences against members of a young people's performance group has been granted day parole.

Philip Heerema pleaded guilty in 2018 to eight charges, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, luring and making child pornography while he was at the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts.

The six victims were male students between the ages of 15 and 17 who were at the school between 1992 and 2013.

The school, operated by the Calgary Stampede Foundation, puts on nightly grandstand shows during the Stampede.

At a parole hearing in a British Columbia prison on Friday, Heerema was described as having excellent institutional behaviour and being a moderate risk to reoffend. His team recommended that he be granted day parole with conditions.

Heerema said he has support from his church and his family. He intends to return to a halfway house in Calgary as a next step.

The two-member parole board panel said allowing Heerema to return to a halfway house in Calgary isn't a decision it takes lightly, but he will be supervised.

"The board is ever mindful of the nature and gravity of the offence you committed and the significance of the harm you caused," the panel said in its decision.

"You demonstrated a capacity to engage in extensive grooming and did so while in a position of trust to the extent that you have caused lifelong significant, and likely unprecedented, harm."

Heerema, who broke down in tears Friday before the decision, said words can't express his remorse and he realizes that he destroyed people's lives.

"I don't know that there's ever enough words to say I'm sorry … for ruining lives," he said.

"All I did was destroy. And I've carried that every day, and I know they do."

Heerema said he was self-centred, selfish and ashamed of being bisexual. He said he knew he could control and manipulate boys into keeping the abuse secret.

The parole board asked him if there are more victims.

"I believe there probably are more victims," Heerema said. After prodding from a panel member, he added: "I know that there are."

Heerema said if more victims come forward, he will take responsibility. "I would go to court immediately and make amends for what I have done."

The performance school works with students between 11 and 18, and their training in music and dance culminates with grandstand shows during the Stampede every July.

A judge approved last year a partial settlement in a class-action lawsuit, with three dozen plaintiffs, against the Stampede.

The Stampede apologized and said in settling the suit it takes responsibility in the hopes of helping victims heal.

'Struggled to move on'

In a statement sent to CTV News, one of Heerema's victims, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, said he wasn't aware a parole hearing was being held.

"Myself and other victims were not aware of today's parole hearing. Had I been notified, I would have liked to attend so the parole board would have had to face a victim when making their decision. 

"I feel like something was taken away from me. I was among the first victims who came forward to police in 2012, and am completely beside myself that none of the many lawyers, police officers, support workers, social workers, judges, or Crown prosecutor I met along the way had told me I needed to register with Correctional Services Canada to even receive a simple notification this was happening. I have been fighting many battles since coming forward, and this completely slipped through the cracks.

"Being abused as a student in that program has completely changed the course of my life and I have struggled to move on in part due to the ongoing legal battle with the Calgary Stampede that has no end in sight. How can Heerema be released from prison while the victims continue to fight legal battles seeking reparations for what happened to us?

"I have accumulated mountains of debt, self financing every attempt to get my life back on track. Every doctors appointment, psychologists appointment, rehabilitation, attempt at post-secondary (education) and more. The Calgary Stampede has accepted full liability for what occurred, yet has offered us no assistance and continues to drag things on in court - so we continue to struggle, while our offender will get to live comfortably in a halfway house in Calgary on day parole."

Another victim, who also cannot be named, told CTV News he too was unaware of Friday's parole hearing.

"I don’t think any of the victims even knew he was having a hearing today. It’s shocking. What’s the point of re-traumatizing victims to get a conviction when you’re just going to let him out years before his sentence is up?

"I’m also surprised that the Calgary Stampede admitted to letting Heerema sexually assault young boys for over 25 years on their grounds and nobody in this city seems phased by it. The victims came forward to make the community safer and the Stampede has been fighting us every step of the way.

"With this decision today, it’s apparent that more is being done to help Phil move on than to help his victims."

In Canada, victims have to register with Correctional Services Canada to able to attend federal parole board hearings or get updates on the people who hurt them.