Canadian Heritage Committee on July 27th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Give a very short answer.

[Scott Smith]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I believe we did act on the incidents and we acted on the recommendations. We will continue to improve them and even evolve them past what those recommendations were from September 2018.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

I now go to Mr. Lemire for two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Courteau, will the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League become a signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner and respect the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport?

[Gilles Courteau]

At the last owners' meeting, a resolution was passed to that effect.

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

It's not clear to me which Canadian hockey leagues are governed by or part of Hockey Canada. Sometimes your organization is considered a not‑for‑profit organization and sometimes it's not. Evidence suggests that it wasn't required to become a signatory with the OSIC.

You mentioned the first incident, the one in Victoriaville, I believe. A second incident involving the Gatineau Olympiques also occurred.

In light of the information you have today and the mea culpa made by everyone present, do you intend to reopen the investigation and ask yourself more questions about what happened?

According to the Quebec City police, this investigation could be reopened.

[Gilles Courteau]

There was a previous investigation into this matter. However, if the police service expresses interest in reopening this investigation, we will certainly co‑operate with the investigation.

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

You have previously stated that there has never been a case of sexual assault between players in the last 45 years.

Mr. Branch had previously alluded to this.

Do you stand by that statement?

[Gilles Courteau]

That there has never been a sexual assault between players?

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

I'm talking about sexual assaults involving players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

[Gilles Courteau]

To our knowledge, the sexual assaults that have been reported have been addressed.

For those that are not reported, unfortunately it's not possible to properly address them.

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

Hockey Canada cannot impose anything on its partners, because they are members of a partnership relationship.

We know that players are “burrows”, to use the expression that was mentioned.

Will you maintain your business relationships?

What impact will there be on money transfers until you comply with the requirements of the OSIC and the Universal Code of Conduct?

Do you know if there will be any impact on money transfers?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have 30 seconds.

[Gilles Courteau]

We will await the various conclusions of this committee regarding the next steps for Hockey Canada. We will then take the time to share this information with our respective owners so that they can make the best decision possible.

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

What impact could the National Hockey League investigation have on the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League?

What will making these revelations public change for the future of your league?

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have two seconds to answer, please. I will allow you two seconds.

[Gilles Courteau]

We will co‑operate with any investigation that may be undertaken.

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

Thank you, Mr. Courteau.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

We now go to Peter Julian for the NDP for two and half minutes.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

A big part of the culture of silence is when victims are silenced. Is Hockey Canada prepared to release from non-disclosure agreements any victim who chooses to come forward and speak about their experience?

[Scott Smith]

I think we got some advice in the last month about the evolution of the minutes of settlements or NDAs. For victims who will come forward, first and foremost, we want to make sure they have the confidence in our independent investigation. We will continue to work to document their wishes. If they wish to eliminate those, unless there is a legal reason not to that I'm not aware of, I'm not sure why we wouldn't. Our priority is to support the victims.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Chair, we have asked for answers today. We got some, but we didn't get answers to all of our questions.

It must be said that the public has very clearly lost confidence in Hockey Canada. It has also lost confidence in the leadership of Hockey Canada. So it's obvious, I think, that there has to be new leadership, which will be able to deal with the total failure that we've seen in the institutions of Hockey Canada in terms of protecting the public, but also the athletes. We see the same problem at Sport Canada. There is a crisis, and there really needs to be change.

If these changes are made, then measures can be put in place that will truly protect the victims, give them a voice, and reassure Canadians, for whom hockey is so important. These institutions must protect them.

I think we should continue our study. These sessions are extremely important.

Madam Chair, I do want to say that I believe Hockey Canada has failed at its task to protect athletes who are victims—

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have 15 seconds.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

—to protect the public who are victims. Sport Canada has also failed at its task. Because of those reasons, we need to continue our study and continue our work.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you, Peter.

I will now go to the Conservatives for five minutes, please. I don't have a name.