Aware of a case of sexual abuse, Sport Canada had not informed the Minister

MISE À DAY

Sport Canada had been made aware of the story regarding an alleged gang rape that occurred in 2018, but had not told the minister handling the case at the time, according to its head of programs.

The ministry did not follow up on the file either. Hockey Canada then commissioned an outside firm to conduct an independent investigation, which was put on hold due to the stagnation of the investigation.

In committee on Tuesday, the current Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, however indicated that “Sport Canada, at no time, was informed [by Hockey Canada] of the extent of what had happened in 2018. The information that was transmitted [was] minimal.”

Federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge

She also recalled that Sport Canada does not have the power to conduct investigations, “even less on allegations of a criminal nature”, but that the department had ensured that the police were involved in the file.

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Most of the blame here would lie with Hockey Canada, whose leaders “just don't have room for error anymore,” said Minister St-Onge.< /p>

“Our expectations are therefore very high towards the leaders of the organization and they have a long way to go to regain our trust”, she testified before the parliamentarians on Tuesday.