Sport Canada was aware of Hockey Canada allegations in 2018, but didn’t tell minister – National
Sport Canada was conscious of an alleged sexual assault tied to a Hockey Canada occasion in 2018 — however, in accordance with a senior director of the group, didn’t inform the game minister’s workplace.
Michel Ruest additionally advised members of Parliament at a Home of Commons heritage committee assembly Monday that nobody adopted up with the nationwide governing physique, both.
MPs instantly expressed their frustration with the revelation.
“For 4 years, not as soon as did you or your group comply with up with Hockey Canada about these allegations? Is that what you’re telling me?” requested Conservative MP John Nater.
NDP MP Peter Julian additionally reacted.
“I believe it’s truthful to say Canadians have misplaced confidence, misplaced confidence in Hockey Canada. They’re dropping confidence in Sports activities Canada,” he mentioned.
The feedback come after two separate allegations of group sexual assault have rocked the world of Canadian hockey in latest months, prompting requires widespread tradition change within the sport.
In 2018, a lady filed a criticism saying eight unnamed gamers from Canada’s 2018 world junior workforce assaulted her whereas she was intoxicated at a gala occasion in London, Ont. The allegation made headlines when, in Might, TSN first reported that Hockey Canada had quietly settled a lawsuit with the girl.
World Information reached out to the brokers for all gamers who have been on the roster on the time of the alleged incident. A number of gamers have since launched public statements denying their involvement. Learn the total listing of responses from the workforce on this on-line publish.
Final week, stories surfaced that Hockey Canada maintained a fund that drew on membership charges to pay for uninsured liabilities — together with sexual abuse claims. This info was included in a July 2021 affidavit sworn by Glen McCurdie, who was then Hockey Canada’s vice-president of insurance coverage and danger administration, as a part of a lawsuit launched by an injured participant in Ontario.
Final Tuesday, Hockey Canada mentioned they’d now not use this fund for sexual abuse claims.
Then, on Friday, one other allegation emerged. Hockey Canada and RisePEI police each confirmed they’re investigating an “alleged group sexual assault” that they are saying concerned members of the 2002-03 world junior hockey championship workforce.
The backlash towards Hockey Canada’s dealing with of the allegations has been swift. By late June, MPs had convened an preliminary parliamentary committee to grill Hockey Canada officers and sport minister Pascale St-Onge concerning the settlement of the 2018 allegation.
Not lengthy after the committee convened on June 20, Hockey Canada misplaced company sponsorships and federal funding was frozen.
On Monday, Hockey Canada launched its plan to fight any “poisonous” behaviour within the sport. The plan contains the implementation of a centralized monitoring and reporting system for abuse complaints by the top of September.
Hockey Canada additionally mentioned it’s going to implement enhanced screening for high-performance gamers and can mandate that breaching the group’s code of conduct or refusing to take part in an investigation may lead to a lifetime ban.
— with information from The Canadian Press
