Documentary filmmaker Léa Clermont-Dion once again offers her help to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (LHJMQ) to drive “toxic masculinity” out of the locker room after the discovery of player initiations punctuated with degrading acts, otherwise violent. It also calls for an independent investigation after which those responsible could be “punished”.
Last year, the QMJHL commissioned Mme Clermont-Dion, director of the documentary You just have to complain, to provide training to league teams and raise awareness among players, coaches and staff “about the impact of aggression”. A few months later, even as a scandal of sexual and physical violence splatters the league, the researcher and lecturer makes herself available again.
“I’m open to other training,” she said in an interview with The duty, while specifying that the Courteau circuit had to carry out an “examination of conscience”. Thursday, the director of communications of the LHJMQ, Maxime Blouin, said he was “certain” that the league would like to “work with her again”. “It was received really positively, the trainings that she gave. […] I think that at the base, if there is a problem that we must target in our sport, it is toxic masculinity, ”he said on the other end of the line.
Mme Clermont-Dion, who is a postdoctoral fellow at Concordia University, says she was never made aware of the rapes and other degrading acts that, according to court documents, have haunted the QMJHL since the 1980s. and inadmissible” are not more “surprising”, according to her. “The fact that it’s a traditionally male environment, where there’s a lot of money, a lot of pressure on the players, it’s an explosive cocktail. [Il y a une] toxic masculinity that was really valued for several years,” she said.
The director rules out turning her back on the circuit. ” [Les joueurs], we must hold them by the hand, we must not ostracize them. The more young people are ostracized, the more they will criminalize themselves. »
She agrees that these acts of violence are “pure and simple demonstration that [les formations], it’s not sufficient “. In the circumstances, she calls for an investigation “in order to punish and hold accountable those responsible who may have allowed despicable acts of violence to be carried out”.
Not aware of actions
After saying he was not aware of the violence reported in the Ontario Superior Court judgment in February, QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in an interview with 98.5 on Wednesday that he had already become aware of the violence. events where players would have had biscuits inserted into their anus and others would have been locked in bus toilets.
Mme Clermont-Dion says he has never spoken directly with Mr. Courteau, who will leave the QMJHL in 2024. “Of course, if there is any doubt that a person in a position of authority knew, investigation is needed to shed light on the situation, she stressed. Were there any restrictions issued to prevent players from filing a complaint? »
Mr. Courteau will soon answer questions from elected officials in the parliamentary committee. For the moment, no police force has launched an investigation to shed more light on the allegations of ex-players.
A new law?
Since 2017, the Law to prevent and combat sexual violence in higher education establishments obliges establishments to adopt policies to combat sexual violence and to provide training in this area. An interesting model for Quebec sports leagues, according to Mme Clermont-Dion.
“I think we need to systematize this more and try to get private leagues, for example. I think we would have more means of action like that, ”she said.
Contacted by The duty, the office of the Minister responsible for Sport, Isabelle Charest, reiterated that she was “working on something in this direction”. On Wednesday, the elected caquiste had questioned the leadership of Gilles Courteau at the head of the LHJMQ. According to her, appointing a woman to lead the circuit would be “fantastic” to end the “toxic” culture in hockey.
Rise in complaints in sport
When she was questioned this week on the judgment, Minister Charest made a point of recalling that she had set up during the last mandate an Independent Complaints Officer in the world of sport.
The duty obtained the number of complaints addressed to it since its creation, in 2021. In the first year of activity of the Officer — from 1er February 2021 to January 31, 2022 —, 127 athletes have done so; in the second — 1er February 2022 to January 31, 2023 — this figure has more than doubled (361).
In total, over two years, 288 of the 488 cases were deemed inadmissible because they concerned an arbitration decision, rules of internal management or had been submitted anonymously.
The Regroupement Loisir et Sport du Québec, which manages the Officer’s communications, was unable to tell the Duty the number of complaints from the hockey community.