A federal MP has questioned Canada’s sports minister about what the government knew about the alleged sexual assault at a Hockey Canada event in 2018.
Hockey Canada was called into a commission of inquiry recently by the Canadian government and has since lost several corporate partners due to its handling of this assault which allegedly took place in London, Ontario, after a national federation gala .
Hockey Canada executives told the government inquiry last month that they raised the allegations with Sport Canada as early as 2018, NDP MP Peter Julian said in a letter to the sport minister on Tuesday. , Pascale St-Onge.
“Has this information been provided to the Ministry of Sports?” asked Mr. Julian. If not why ? If the ministry was informed, why did the minister at the time not react?
“Parents whose kids play hockey have a right to know why Hockey Canada has handled this issue so irresponsibly and how the government has responded.
“Canadians have the right to know what their government is doing in concrete terms to bring about a real cultural change in the face of sexual misconduct at Hockey Canada and in other sports organizations across the country. »
The minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As first reported by TSN, Hockey Canada has settled a lawsuit filed by a now 24-year-old woman who alleges she was repeatedly raped by eight unidentified national under-20 team players. years that year.
These allegations have not been the subject of proceedings before the courts.
Hockey Canada officials testified before a Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in Ottawa on June 20. Further hearings are scheduled for July 26 and 27.
Minister St-Onge froze funding for the national federation until she provided a report written by a law firm hired by Hockey Canada to investigate the matter.
When she was appointed last October, Minister St-Onge became the third person responsible for this portfolio since 2018.
Kirsty Duncan was Minister of Sports from January 2018 to November 2019. The Ministry of Sports then fell under the leadership of Heritage Canada and Minister Steven Guilbault until the appointment of Ms. St-Onge.
Julian, who represents New Westminster-Burnaby County, British Columbia, says too many questions went unanswered during the June 20 hearings. He asked the minister for further investigation.
“Canadians are outraged by this situation and want action to be taken to prevent such a situation from happening again,” he wrote.