(Quebec) Following allegations of violent initiations in the junior hockey world, the Legault administration could use the introduction of a bill this spring aimed at reforming sports safety to give the appeals officer more teeth. This independent body, created in 2020, is handling a growing number of abuse and harassment cases reported by athletes.
Posted at 5:00 am
At the request of Québec Solidaire (QS), in what has now become a bipartisan move, MPs will hear representatives of youth hockey and the student sports network Wednesday in the parliamentary committee to shed light on allegations of violent initiations conducted at the inaugurations over the past few decades.
“The momentum is there. People know that parliamentarians are interested. Tongues begin to loosen. people say things. I think we are beginning a process that, if done right, could lead us to constructive solutions and protocols,” hopes supporting MP Vincent Marissal.
The initiative he presented has since been expanded by Liberal MP Enrico Ciccone, who wanted to expand it beyond the world of junior hockey.
“It’s not just a hockey phenomenon. This also happens in school sports. It’s a sporting phenomenon,” says Mr. Ciccone. With the support of the government, MPs will therefore receive representatives of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (LHJMQ), the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), Hockey Quebec and the Quebec Student Sport Network (RSEQ) on Wednesday.
If some spoke of an omerta in the hockey world, “it’s not a question of omerta,” adds the Liberal MP and former NHL player.
The dangerous and terrible thing about it is that it was considered normal. It was part of the game, like a must.”
Enrico Ciccone, Liberal MP and former NHL player
McGill University, which has managed similar scandals of violent initiations involving basketball and soccer teams in the past, declined an invitation to appear and testify before a parliamentary committee, Vincent Marissal regrets. He will suggest replacing the university institution with the complaints officer.
“Now let’s take advantage of the fact that it’s fairly new [comme institution] to get it right, instead of realizing in ten years’ time that it’s just another patent that’s useless or has picked up bad habits. If there is any fine-tuning, now is the right time,” he says.
“It is expected that the expected groups [mercredi en commission parlementaire] give parliamentarians clear answers. Of course we want a clear action plan with reports on implementation to improve the situation,” adds Pascal Bérubé from the Parti Québécois (PQ).
“Everything on the table”
Ever since the scandal erupted earlier this month, when the details of allegations of violent incitement in junior hockey in the country were uncovered in an Ontario Superior Court ruling, Sport Minister Isabelle Charest has not hesitated to criticize the organizations making the allegations : in their opinion, a toxic climate.
The Legault government introduced new measures in 2020 to deal with cases of abuse and harassment in sport. An independent officer has been created to deal with complaints from athletes. So far, each sports association has dealt with complaints differently. Quebec is already planning to give the officer more teeth.
“We have a reflection that was already underway to give it more bite,” says Nadia Talbot, Minister Isabelle Charest’s chief of staff. “Everything is on the table to improve,” she says. Wednesday’s Parliamentary Committee, which will include hearings from leaders of the QMJHL, will stimulate Ms Charest’s reflections.
In his first year in office, between February 1, 2021 and February 1, 2022, the officer handled 127 complaints. From the second year, from February 1, 2022 to the last February 1, this number rose to 361 cases. Overall, more than 40% of the complaints were deemed admissible. Those who did not were rejected on the grounds that they concerned a referee’s decision during a game, they concerned rules of internal administration or a breach of the code of conduct, or they were anonymous.
Quebec is the first province to appoint an independent official.
At a federal-state meeting on Friday, Federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge encouraged the nine provinces and territories that do not yet have such a mechanism to follow suit.
Minister Charest will introduce a bill this spring aimed at reforming sports safety. This bill has been on the cards for a few months, but Nadia Talbot believes it could be improved based on the findings of the parliamentary commission.
On February 3, an Ontario Superior Court judge dismissed a class action lawsuit filed by three plaintiffs on behalf of the 15,000 players who have played on one of the league’s teams for 50 years.Western Junior League (WHL), Ontario Junior League (OHL) or QMJHL. The judge declined to accept the class action lawsuit on technical grounds, but did not question the veracity of the testimonies. It describes, among other things, acts in connection with underage players who report sticks inserted into the anus, genital mutilation and victim humiliation by spraying urine or excrement.