Q1. As Minister of Sport, what was your reaction when you heard of the situation with Hockey Canada?
The situation reported in the media is disturbing and unacceptable. It is disheartening to hear such horrible actions occurring in sport environments.
Organizations that provide opportunities for Canadians to participate and excel in sport have a responsibility to ensure that they are providing their programs and services in an environment that is free from harassment, abuse, discrimination, and harmful behaviors.
As a first step, I have asked for an independent audit to be conducted to ensure no public funds were used in the lawsuit settlement. As Minister of Sport, I have a responsibility to ensure that federally funded organizations are accountable and transparent.
If public funds were used to fund an out-of-court settlement to protect the reputations of alleged abusers, this is unacceptable. If this is indeed the case, we will not hesitate to take the necessary measures to put an end to this practice.
Q2. When did you learn of this settlement by Hockey Canada with the young woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by 8 Team Canada Junior players following a Hockey Canada charity event in London, Ontario in June 2018?
I spoke very briefly to the president of Hockey Canada who called me the day before the story came out to inform me that a journalist was interested in the issue and that it was going to come out in the media.
Q3. If, like all of us, you learned about these allegations a few days ago from the media, can you assure us that neither your officials nor any of your staff had heard of this matter before the Globe article?
Hockey Canada informed Sport Canada of the incident in June 2018.
At the time, Hockey Canada disclosed to Sport Canada that it had held a golf and gala on June 19, 2018, for their national junior men’s hockey team, and that an incident involving sexual assault had allegedly taken place. The alleged assault involved members of the national junior team. Hockey Canada reported the incident to London Police.
Given that the allegations were criminal in nature and Hockey Canada reported that the local police authorities had been contacted, no further action was taken by Sport Canada at the time.
On May 24, 2022, Sport Canada was informed that Hockey Canada would be issuing a statement related to the sexual assault, and steps taken by Hockey Canada.
Hockey Canada shared their statement with Sport Canada on May 26, 2022.
(If pressed on why there was no action from Sport Canada)
The relationship between independent organizations, such as Hockey Canada, and the Government of Canada, is strictly limited to the power to spend public funds via contribution agreements.
As such, Sport Canada does not have the mandate or the authority to investigate cases, including discussing specific details around the cases. The role of Sport Canada is to ensure that organizations meet safe sport standards that are part of their contribution agreements.
When an incident is disclosed, to address the circumstances at the time, it was determined that Sport Canada’s role was to ensure that the funded sport organization that had disclosed a situation had its Harassment Abuse and Discrimination policy implemented and activated when an incident had taken place, since this is a condition for receiving federal funding. No personal information that could allow the identification of an individual was shared with the sport organization, in the event that the incident was disclosed directly to Sport Canada. Sport Canada’s role is to ensure that organizations activate their maltreatment policies and that complainants have access to an independent third party to review complaints and conduct investigations, or is referred to relevant authorities, if required.
Since Hockey Canada immediately disclosed the situation and activated their harassment, abuse, and discrimination policy in force at the time, the organization was compliant with the requirement to disclose.
Q4. How much funding did Sport Canada provide to Hockey Canada for programming in 2017-18 and 2018-19? Was this funding used to support the Junior Men’s Hockey Team?
Sport Canada provided just over $4.3 million in 2017-18 and $4.0 million in 2018-19 to Hockey Canada from the Sport Support Program. For each fiscal year, approximately $1.5 million was for reference-level funding for the able-bodied programming which allows for funding to support eligible expenses for the national team program. This would include the junior men’s hockey team. The remainder of the funding was targeted, meaning that it was protected for a specific purpose.
Background for eligible expenses
Eligible expenses for the national team program include:
Anti-doping services;
Training (including travel, meals, accommodations, and facility rental);
Competition (including travel, meals, accommodation, facility rental and competition fees);
Equipment rental/purchase;
Honoraria (medical, paramedical or national team support personnel);
National training centre programming and services; and
Sport science and medical/paramedical services.
Background for targeted funding
In addition to the reference-level funding, in 2017-18:
There is $307,000 for programming for athletes with a disability.
There is $500,000 for targeted excellence programming to prepare for the men’s tournament at the Olympic Games.
There is $1.085 million for targeted excellence programming to prepare for the women’s tournament at the Olympic Games.
There is $624,750 for targeted excellence programming to prepare for the para-ice hockey tournament at the Paralympic Games.
Q5. Was Sport Canada funding used to pay for the Gala in June 2018? Is this considered an eligible expense?
Under the Sport Support Program National Sport Organization component guidelines, “medals, trophies and banquets” are ineligible expenses. Sport Canada funding could therefore not be used to pay for the Gala in June 2018.
Q6. Did Hockey Canada use any public funds for the settlement?
Hockey Canada released a statement indicating that no public funds were spent for the settlement.
However, I have asked for an independent audit to be conducted to ensure no public funds were used in the lawsuit settlement. I have already initiated this type of audit for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, and now I am doing the same with Hockey Canada.
Q7. Will you be withholding funding from Hockey Canada?
At this time, it is too early to determine if we will be withholding funding, or what consequences Hockey Canada may face. If public funds were used to fund an out-of-court settlement to protect the reputations of alleged abusers, this is unacceptable. If this is indeed the case, we will not hesitate to take the necessary measures to put an end to this practice.
2. Cases involving other sport organizations
Q8. Are you aware of any other allegations of abuse or harassment happening right now in federally funded sport organizations?
As part of their funding agreements with Sport Canada, National Sport Organizations must disclose incidents of abuse and harassment.
Sport Canada does not have the mandate or the authority to investigate cases. It can only ensure that the organization’s policies are implemented, and that due process is followed, including providing the complainant access to an independent third party to receive complaints and conduct investigations if required.
A number of incidents reported to Sport Canada by National Sport Organizations occurred at the community level and fall outside the scope of organizations receiving federal funding.
In the absence of a government authority to investigate or even discuss the specifics of a case, the Government of Canada is funding the creation and implementation of the new Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) which has opened its doors today.
The OSIC will have the power to receive complaints at the national level, to investigate cases if necessary and to make recommendations on sanctions.
Q9. What do you think about the latest request from athletes calling on the government to investigate the culture of sports in Canada?
Hearing the stories from athletes has deeply touched all of our hearts and they have all my respect for their courage and all my empathy for what they went through.
Of course—we all know that more needs to be done to address the issue of maltreatment in sport. We want to get it right, and going forward, we will continue to work with the sport sector to determine additional actions.
As part of Phase 1 operations, the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner will Initiate scoping for Sport Environment Assessments which are intended to address systemic and cultural issues linked to the Universal Code of Conduct within specific sport environments. The focus of these Assessments will be to improve the sport environment for current and future participants.
Q10. Following the letter signed by more than 400 gymnastic athletes and former athletes, as well as allegations from other sport, will you ask for a third-party investigation or a cultural review of those sports?
I can report that the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner will launch the first phase of its operations today. It will be able to conduct sport specific environmental assessments.
It is in my power to order audits on sport organizations that receive federal funding, like I just did for Bobsleigh Skeleton and for Hockey Canada.
Q11. Will non-disclosure agreements that some National Sport Organizations have their athletes sign, such as bobsleigh, prevent athletes from being able to access the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner?
If any athlete feels uncomfortable in a situation or believes that they are being mistreated or abused, they must have the freedom to speak up.
Adding a non-disclosure clause goes against the very principle of safe sport. We must break the culture of silence in sport and we expect all national sport organizations to actively participate in that.
AthletesCAN developed an athlete agreement template supported by Sport Canada, which most organizations now use. We encourage every National Sport Organizations to use it.
Q12. There are important bargaining discussions happening between Canada Soccer and the men's national team and women’s national team. Will the Minister intervene to ensure fair treatment of all athletes?
Canada Soccer is an independent organization responsible for the national team’s preparation and organization.
Questions about those discussions should be addressed to them.
3. Accountability in ensuring safety in sport
Q13. How does the Government of Canada ensure that organizations receiving federal funding meet specific safe sport standards?
Organizations that provide opportunities for Canadians to participate and excel in sport have a responsibility to ensure that they are providing their programs and services in an environment that is free from harassment, abuse, discrimination, and harmful behaviour.
While the Government of Canada cannot become involved in the daily operations and decision-making of national autonomous organizations, we are able to impose certain obligations on federally funded organizations to provide a safe and welcoming sport environment for athletes, coaches and other affiliated individuals.
For example, National Sport Organizations funded by Sport Canada are required to: (i) provide members access to a third party (ii) provide mandatory training on maltreatment in sport and (iii) strengthen internal policies to create a workplace free of maltreatment.
Federally funded organizations must report annually to Sport Canada on how they are meeting these requirements. In instances where these obligations are not being met, Sport Canada works with the organization to identify remedial action that must be taken in order for that organization to continue to be eligible for funding.
There will be changes to the contribution agreements between Sport Canada and organizations. The goal is to encourage sports organizations to meet high standards of governance, accountability and safe sport. How? Quite simply by requiring increased accountability by adding additional obligations to the organizations' contribution agreements.
Q14. What happens if an organization does not comply with safe sport standards? Will they be subject to funding cuts or other types of sanctions?
There is no excuse for an organization not to implement standards aimed at ensuring a safe sport environment.
The government of Canada can withhold funding in cases of non-compliance. This is why we have funding requirements. At the same time, we also want to ensure that we do not penalize sport participants and coaches for the actions of a minority of individuals. Each case must be evaluated individually, and no one should be afraid to disclose misbehaviors for fear of having funding cuts or other penalties imposed on the organizations.
But let me be clear – my priority is to make sure our athletes are safe and we will use all levers available to ensure a safe sport environment, including withholding funding.
Q15. What happens when a case of abuse, discrimination, and harassment is disclosed to you or Sport Canada?
At all times, cases of abuse, harassment, and discrimination are the responsibility of sport organizations to manage. These organizations have a responsibility to ensure they provide an environment free of abuse, harassment, and discrimination.
Sport Canada does not have the mandate or the authority to investigate cases but only to ensure that organizations meet safe sport standards in their contribution agreements.
If a situation is disclosed, Sport Canada’s role is to ensure that the required maltreatment policy of the organization is activated. This includes making sure that sport organizations provide access to an independent third party to receive complaints and conduct investigations if required. Sport Canada’s role does not include discussion of details, nor is it authorized to investigate cases.
In the absence of this authority, the Government of Canada is funding the new Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC), which is launching its first phase of operations today to any sport organization that has become Signatory to the OSIC by entering into a Program Signatory Agreement
As part of this first phase, the OSIC will offer the following services to Signatories:
Receive complaints and initiate a complaint management process, including investigations where relevant. Complaints will be received through a dedicated and confidential online platform. Operators with the Canadian Sport Helpline will be available to help users through the complaint process.
Initiate scoping for Sport Environment Assessments which are intended to address systemic and cultural issues within specific sport environments. The focus of these assessments will be to improve the sport environment for current and future participants; and
Offer education, prevention tools and resources, and other ancillary services, including mental health and legal aid referrals.
Should appropriate steps not taken by any organization, Sport Canada can implement a process to eventually withhold funding from any organization that receives federal funding.
Sport organizations will become Signatories to the program over the years.
We are currently in a transition period with the establishment of the OSIC and all the initiatives that we funded over the years to ensure independent and fair processes are in place. We are currently exploring ways to ensure a seamless transition for the OSIC to become the only place that incidents of maltreatment are reported and managed at the national level.
4. Investments in safe sport and initiatives to improve the situation
Q16. Is the Government of Canada investing enough to ensure a safe sport environment for all athletes?
Since 2019-2020, funding in the amount of $23.5 million (Budget 2018 and Budget 2019) was provided to enable national sport organizations to: (i) provide members access to a third party (ii) provide mandatory training on maltreatment in sport and (iii) strengthen internal policies to create a workplace free of maltreatment.
The 2022 federal Budget includes $16.0 million over three years to support actions to create a safer sport system, including funding for the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada for the implementation of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner. The funding will also help ensure national sport policies and practices reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and discrimination and create a safer and more inclusive sport system.
Q17. What other measures will the Government be putting in place to ensure a safe sport environment?
Just last Sunday, I announced measures to ensure a safer sport system, measures that will be led by Sport Canada.
The goal is to encourage sports organizations to meet high standards of governance, accountability and safe sport. How? Quite simply by requiring increased accountability by adding additional obligations to the organizations' contribution agreements.
Athletes will also be better represented in the sport system. They will have their own advisory committee within Sport Canada to advise the organization and help it better align with their reality.
Our government is creating the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner. This is a major step in countering the culture of silence. We want to offer all sports people a clear and reliable channel to report abuse and mistreatment or, at the very least, to obtain a listening ear and support.
Finally, at this summer’s federal-provincial/territorial sport ministers’ conference in Niagara, Ontario, I will continue to work with my provincial and territorial counterparts in sport to promote pan-Canadian cohesion on safe sport.
These new areas of actions I just announced will build on the work our government has taken over the years with foundational pieces of work such as the development of a Universal Code of Conduct Against Maltreatment in Sport, and the Red Deer Declaration which demonstrate the great partnership with provinces and territories that allow us to work together to address the issue of maltreatment
Q18. Whether in amateur sport or in our armed forces, it seems that the government is unable to provide a healthy environment free of sexual or psychological harassment for young girls who want to represent Canada. What do you intend to do to rectify this situation?
See answer to Question 16
Q19. Ski Canada, where a coach sexually abused many of our young athletes for years, Artistic Swimming Canada where coaches used the worst methods of psychological harassment and endangered the physical and mental health of young girls and now this cover-up by Hockey Canada, what are you going to do to bring the subsidized sport federations and organizations to heel and demand a healthy environment for our young athletes?
See answer to Question 13, 14, and 17
Q20. Sweeping things under the rug and lack of transparency seems to be the culture of accredited sports organizations. A few days ago, the athletes of Skeleton Bobsleigh Canada denounced a clause in their contract that forbids them to make any comments that could harm the image of Skeleton Bobsleigh Canada. This is despite your recent initiatives such as providing independent recourse for abused athletes? What will you do to protect athletes from such abuse?
See answer to Question 11
Q21.Madam Minister, in response to the media storm surrounding this affair, you have decided to ask for a financial audit to ensure that none of the subsidies paid to Hockey Canada by Canadian Heritage programs were used to pay for this out-of-court settlement?
Audits can take a long time, when will you have the results?
We reacted immediately. The process is already underway and the work will be done over the next few weeks. There are a number of contribution agreements to look at over a period of several years. My priority is to have an accurate picture of the situation and I have asked that this be done urgently.
Q22. How much money has Canadian Heritage contributed through these various programs to Hockey Canada over the past few years?
In 2022-23, Sport Canada provided the following funding support to Hockey Canada:
Sport Support Program—National Sport Organization component: approved funding as of June 14th, 2022 $3,024,100 with the following breakdown:
Reference-level mainstream: $1,524,100
Reference-level athletes with a disability: $307,000
Next generation initiative Olympic women: $125,000
Next generation initiative Paralympic (mixed gender): $97,500
Hosting Program – International Single Sport Events component: $150,000 with the following breakdown:
Canada vs USA Women's Series: $50,000
World Under-17 Hockey Challenge: $50,000
World Sledge Hockey Challenge: $50,000
Reference-level funding is an amount determined through the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework assessment process to support the delivery of the national sport organization’s core operations.
Enhanced excellence funding targets current podium potential for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games based on recommendations from Own the Podium, the organization tasked with prioritizing and determine investment strategies to support sports in achieving podium results at Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Next generation initiative funding supports the development of podium potential for future games (within approximately seven years) based on recommendations from Own the Podium. The next generation initiative funding must also be matched by the private sector.
Budget 2018 announced gender equity funding to support the target to achieve gender equity in sport at every level by 2035. Budget 2019 announced safety in sport funding to promote accessible, ethical, equitable and safe sport.
The Budget 2021 COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund and the Recovery Fund investments help support the recovery and reopening of the arts, culture and sport sectors.
Q23. According to media reports, the funding Hockey Canada receives from your department as well as from member contributions represents less than 10% of Hockey Canada's revenue. The largest sources of revenue are private sponsorships and the organization of major events. Don't you think that this cover-up was intended to protect Hockey Canada's image and its private sources of revenue?
At this time, my priority is to ensure that no public funds were spent on the settlement.
See question 1, 5 and 6 for more on the audit.
Q24. In Montreal, the draft of young Logan Mailloux who was subject to and subsequently convicted abroad of sharing sexual images of his former girlfriend without consent, caused quite an outcry especially since Mailloux, aware of his actions, had asked NHL teams not to be drafted. Some sponsors threatened to pull out, Mailloux was not invited to camp and was sanctioned by the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Without going into a comparison of serious wrongdoing, do you think it is acceptable that Hockey Canada, these 8 young men are exempt from scrutiny and accountability for their actions?
I see this case as a manifestation of the culture of silence that reigns in our sport system. We must continue to work to change this culture.
We still hear too many stories of harassment, violence and abuse in sport that undermine the development of our athletes and destroy their lives.
Young hockey players are part of the sport system, as are all athletes and those around them. Whether it's their coaches, the national sport organizations, the volunteers who give of themselves, or the parents who support their children.
Q25. Don't you think Hockey Canada should do some soul-searching, admit its faults and hold the decision-makers accountable for this cover-up?
See answer to Question 7
Q26. On May 27, the NHL opened an investigation into the matter and has committed to taking the necessary action if it finds that NHL players committed wrongdoing in this incident. International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Luc Tardif has also indicated that he is following the matter closely and expects to see the light shed on what appears to be a cover-up.
Isn't it unfortunate that the NHL and the IIHF seem to be more interested in getting to the bottom of this than our own government or the institutions involved, namely Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL)?
See answer to Question 1 and 17 plus:
I am happy to see that the NHL and IIHF are taking this matter very seriously. We all have a responsibility as leaders of sport to ensure a safe environment and welcoming.
Q27. Last year, an independent review of bullying, discrimination and harassment in Canadian junior field hockey conducted by the CHL with a panel consisting of Sheldon Kennedy, Danièle Sauvageau and Camille Thériault revealed that misconduct is so prevalent that it has become a norm in the culture of field hockey in this country and is subject to the code of silence.
The CHL has done very little to respond to the report. What are you going to do to clean up the field hockey environment?
We understand that the CHL leagues are largely private but less than 2% of these young men will be playing in the NHL, don't you think it's your responsibility to do everything you can to make the junior field hockey environment healthier?
If I am not mistaken, your provincial counterpart in Quebec last year was not afraid to demand concrete measures that could lead to the disappearance of fights when discussing one-time financial assistance during the pandemic. Whether it is to eliminate harassment and abuse or to protect the brains of our young junior players, are we lacking courage?
See answer to Question 17 plus:
The prevention of maltreatment in sport is everyone’s responsibility. I commend any initiative that my Ministerial counterparts are leading and initiatives underway in every province and territory to make sport safer.
Junior hockey teams are not under federal jurisdiction, and therefore my power to act is limited. That said, I will continue to explore ways to reinforce our common actions and approaches to determine how we can change the culture of sport.
This is for the Minister directly – we do not know if she spoke to them.
Q21. Although Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League are the subject of the lawsuit by the victim of the alleged gang rape, the incident occurred on the sidelines of the Hockey Canada charity event
Madam Minister, have you spoken to Hockey Canada officials?
Did you ask them why they thought it was appropriate to settle out of court and pay $3.5 million to a victim for an incident that was allegedly perpetrated by eight young men acting on their own in a degrading manner?
Do Hockey Canada officials have anything to be ashamed of?
If not, was it an action to protect Hockey Canada's image or the promising careers of these field hockey players, many of whom are now playing professionally?
Did you ask for assurances that none of the funds provided by Canadian Heritage through these various programs were used to settle this out of court agreement?