Canadian Heritage Committee on July 26th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Minister.

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I applaud the statement issued by the members of the women's hockey team, and I hope they will be partners on the path forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Mr. Lemire, you have six minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, I, too, applaud the women's hockey team for their statement.

I agree with you that they did the right thing and that women should be more involved in high-level decision-making, especially at Hockey Canada.

I want to thank you for the leadership you've shown since this whole situation began. We appreciate it.

I'd like to know whether you're satisfied with how Sport Canada, an organization in your department, handled the cases of abuse that were reported or brought to your attention.

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

I think we can do better.

When I said that everyone in Canada's sport system needed to rethink how they did things, I was including Sport Canada in that.

That work has begun with the deputy minister and leadership teams. There is a genuine desire to improve how we evaluate sport federations' compliance with our requirements.

It does, however, bear repeating that Sport Canada has no authority to investigate. That said, Sport Canada needs to be better equipped to conduct compliance evaluations.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Is your decision to suspend the funding of both Hockey Canada and Gymnastics Canada until investigations have been completed indicative of how you will proceed with Sport Canada going forward when allegations of abuse come to your attention, no matter the sport?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Suspending an organization's funding has major consequences, especially for small sport organizations. It's not a decision to be made lightly.

There are better ways to oversee the organizations from a process standpoint. There are ways to make sure that processes are being followed and that athletes are being heard. That is why we created the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, which is independent from Sport Canada. The commissioner's office is intended to be a truly independent mechanism vis-à-vis the sport organizations.

Every stakeholder has a role to play going forward, to make sure athletes are safe.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Speaking of that, given the information that has come to light in recent days, do you think the OSIC's mandate adequately addresses what athletes and their families are calling for?

Isn't it appropriate to give the OSIC more power, so that it has the ability and means to conduct investigations and so that it doesn't simply pass cases on to the police?

At the very least, will the OSIC keep a case registry regarding the calls it receives?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Conducting investigations is part of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner's mandate, but the office clearly won't replace the traditional court system, criminal or otherwise.

However, when it comes to practices in sport, the commissioner's office can impose sanctions in cases of assault or abuse. The OSIC is certainly empowered to conduct investigations.

Something else worth noting is that this is a new mechanism. Canada has never had anything like it before. The office just launched on June 20. Everyone was supportive of Sarah‑Ève Pelletier's appointment as commissioner. She has tremendous experience, as a member of the sports community and a lawyer. She is an expert on athlete safety. She needs time to become familiar with the job and to conduct her first investigations. If the office's mandate or process needs improving, we will improve it.

My focus—and I have made this my mission—is making sure that the mechanism is effective and that athletes see the commissioner's office as a safe place to turn to when they have been the victim of an assault or maltreatment.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

We agree that what we do not want to see happen is the office finding out about a situation only to put the investigation on ice because it doesn't have the means to take action, similar to what happened in 2018, when allegations were reported to Ms. Mulligan.

If Hockey Canada doesn't prove to you that it genuinely wants to change, how far are you willing to go to stamp out the toxic behaviour and culture of silence at Hockey Canada?

Are you willing to put the organization under trusteeship?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

That involves legal considerations that would have to be examined.

As I said, the relationship we have with sport organizations is, first and foremost, a financial one. What binds us is a contribution agreement, a contract between two parties. That means I have limited authority as far as direct involvement in Hockey Canada goes.

However, in the wake of Hockey Canada's funding being frozen, we saw sponsors following suit, as well as an outcry and significant pressure from the public.

I would say that the most important people Hockey Canada has to answer to are members of the public, players, athletes, parents and young people playing hockey, all of whom expect a lot of Hockey Canada.

I said this, and I will say it again, Hockey Canada's leadership has to get it right. Gone are the days of doing things the same old way. Gone are the days of receiving a report and disregarding the recommendations.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Do you think the Canadian Hockey League, which is separate from Hockey Canada, should be subject to the OSIC's authority as well? That way, Hockey Canada could review its funding.

As we all know, funding flows from Hockey Canada to the Canadian Hockey League.

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

A lot of work has to happen on many levels and in every jurisdiction to ensure independent complaint mechanisms are in place to respond to athletes' concerns, and deal with cases of assault and abuse that arise in sport.

I met with my provincial counterparts, among other stakeholders, and we decided to open an OSIC office in any province wishing to sign on, instead of creating its own mechanism.

We don't want to leave anything to chance in Canadian sport, at any level, whether it be local clubs or national organizations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have 30 seconds.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I want to get back to Hockey Canada. Have you set a time frame for resuming Hockey Canada's funding?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Once I'm satisfied that the conditions have been met, we will reevaluate whether Hockey Canada's funding should be resumed.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Lastly, I'd like to know what you are looking to hear from Hockey Canada—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much, Minister. That concludes that particular question.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

My six minutes aren't up, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have now—

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I've been keeping track of my time, Madam Chair, and whenever it's my turn, you cut me off, even if I have time left.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have three seconds left.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Do I have time for one last question? May I go ahead and ask it? I still had 15 seconds.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have 13 seconds left. Can you tell me what your timeline is, please?

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Madam Chair, I had 15 seconds left for a question.