Hockey Canada releases new job to review handling of mistreatment, harassment and abuse

Warning: This story contains graphic details that may disturb some readers

Hockey Canada is hiring a new « director of abuse, harassment and abuse » to improve safety within the organization following intense public scrutiny of its handling of sexual assault allegations.

The sport’s national governing body released the new position on Thursday and said it would include overseeing the introduction of an « independent and confidential complaints mechanism », according to the publication.

« Hockey Canada’s goal is to create a sporting culture and environment free from all forms of abuse and prejudice, » the job posting states.

Hockey Canada says it’s looking for someone to lead the development of a ‘multi-year’ abuse strategy and lead the creation of a new reporting and tracking system to capture allegations of wrongdoing at all levels of hockey, from the local level to the national level.

The manager will also be responsible for creating a new scouting program to assess player character for high-performance programs, according to the job posting.

The job posting is the latest effort by the organization to try to restore its credibility and public trust more than two months after the scandal over sexual assault allegations.

Regional hockey associations have threatened to stop paying Hockey Canada dues over concerns, MPs continue to call on the hockey organization’s management to step down and Canada’s sport minister wants a major board overhaul administration.

WATCH | Hockey organizations threaten to cut Hockey Canada funding

The creation of a new position to handle complaints of abuse is part of a commitment made by Hockey Canada in July when announcing a plan to combat the organization’s « toxic behavior » on and off the ice.

Hockey Canada released the plan before its executives appeared before a parliamentary committee, where they were questioned by MPs about how the organization reached financial settlements with plaintiffs and used non-disclosure agreements in certain cases to prevent complainants from speaking publicly.

The Hockey Canada controversy began after a woman filed a lawsuit in April alleging she was sexually assaulted in 2018 by eight unnamed Canadian Hockey League players, including members of the World Junior Team.

The hockey players allegedly brought golf clubs into the room to intimidate her, told her to shower after the sexual assault and ordered her to say she was sober while they filmed a consent video, according to a statement that has not been proven in research.

The lawsuit accuses Hockey Canada of failing to address systemic abuses in its organization and of tolerating « a culture and environment that glorified the degradation and sexual exploitation of young women. »

At last month’s parliamentary committee, Hockey Canada revealed it had reached settlements and paid $8.9 million to 21 other complainants of sexual assault allegations since 1989 (not including gang sexual assault allegations). of 2018).

In nine of these cases, a fund made up in part of the registration fees was used to pay the complainants. Hockey Canada’s sexual misconduct insurance policy was used to cover the rest, the organization told the committee.

Halifax police also opened an investigation into a group sexual assault allegation in 2003.

TSN reports that a source reached out to Tory MP John Nater and described a video showing about six players who were on Canada’s world junior team at the time having sex with a woman who didn’t. unresponsive and lying on a pool table.

The chair of the parliamentary committee investigating Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual misconduct said he wanted to hear from exceptional witnesses. The date of the next meeting has not yet been set.

WATCH | World Junior Hockey Tournament to be held amid Hockey Canada controversy

World Junior Hockey Tournament to go ahead despite Hockey Canada controversy

Ticket sales for the World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton are below expectations as the tournament kicks off this week in the shadow of an ongoing sexual assault scandal at Hockey Canada.