When our Board was elected in December, we knew that transforming the culture of our sport and regaining the confidence of Canadians would not happen overnight. Almost six months into our mandate, we are pleased to be making meaningful progress in improving Canada’s game.
Supported by the independent governance review led by the Hon. Thomas Cromwell, C.C., as well as feedback from our many Partners including two in-person meetings with the Members, our Board is working tirelessly to address four key areas: sport safety, good governance, leadership renewal, and financial stability and transparency. As well, we have twice met with Minister Pascale St-Onge and will continue to work with her and her colleagues as we identify more ways to make hockey safer and more accessible to Canadians.
Sport Safety
Hockey Canada is continuing to enhance the organization’s sport safety initiatives, in order to ensure safe and welcoming environments on and off the ice in all corners of our country.
To date, Hockey Canada has become a full signatory to Abuse-Free Sport and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, established the Independent Third Party, grown its Sport Safety department, and recently announced a renewed and expanded partnership with Sheldon Kennedy’s Respect Group.
Next season, we will build on our tracking and reporting to record all instances of maltreatment, abuse and harassment under Rule 11, and make the data available on an annual basis to help drive such behaviours out of the game.
Also, in the coming weeks, we expect to be announcing an important initiative in this critical area.
Good Governance
Over the past six months we have had an ongoing dialogue with our Members on the Cromwell Report. Our focus now is on implementing his recommendations, and I am pleased to report that we are making significant progress collectively.
We are also encouraged that Members are looking to undertake their own governance reviews, some of which have already begun. It is expected that at the Hockey Canada Spring Congress in June, more of Justice Cromwell’s recommendations will be approved by our Members.
Leadership Renewal
The election of our Board in December ushered in a new era for Hockey Canada. To build on this work, we are moving full speed ahead with the recruitment of our next President and Chief Executive Officer.
We have formed a search committee that features strong representation from our stakeholders including our Members, our Partners, our Board and the Hockey Canada Foundation and established a job profile in consultation with those stakeholders.
Financial Stability and Transparency
Hockey Canada Partners and participants have a right to know how their money is being spent.
This work began immediately following our Board’s election in December, when Hockey Canada proactively published the organization’s 2021-22 Audited Financial Statements. We then completed an audit of government funding, which helped create certainty and led, in part, to the reinstatement of the Government of Canada’s funding to Hockey Canada.
Informed by the Cromwell Report, as well as recent audits, Hockey Canada is working to reform and modernize our existing financial structures to create additional clarity and transparency regarding the use of player fees and partner funds. This is particularly true of any funds used for uninsured liabilities, currently covered by the National Equity Fund (NEF). Although the Cromwell Report validated the use of the NEF for this purpose, creating additional financial transparency is extremely important to our Board.
Government Relations
Minister St-Onge joined us for a fruitful and constructive conversation during the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Brampton, Ont. She reinforced the need for a change in sport culture and urged us to take the lead in this regard. At the same time, she announced that our government funding has been restored.
We are very appreciative of the vote of confidence from Minister St-Onge and her colleagues, however we know that we still have a lot of work ahead of us.
Looking Ahead
Throughout the meetings that we have had with our Partners, it is clear that we all share the same vision to make hockey a safer, and more diverse and accessible sport, and that growing the women’s and girls’ game and para hockey is a priority, as is focusing on growth and retention at the grassroots level.
We are extremely encouraged that the majority of our Partners supported the recent IIHF Women’s World Championship. As a result of further positive discussions that we have had with them this month, we are confident that we are all aligned to ensure that hockey can thrive in our country for generations to come.
Participation in grassroots hockey continues to grow, particularly among women and girls. Our Board takes our positions very seriously and is unwavering in our commitment to provide each player, coach, official, parent and volunteer with an environment in which they can always feel safe.
To achieve everything I have mentioned, we need the buy-in of the entire Hockey Canada staff and having met most of them during my trips throughout the country, I am confident that they are as determined as we are to make positive changes on and off the ice.
I’d like to thank them, the Board and our Members for their commitment to being transparent and accountable to all Canadians, and for the work that they are doing to address systemic issues in the game.
