Hockey Canada ordered to hand over report on 2018 allegations to Parliament

Mar 27, 2023 | 1:36 PM

OTTAWA — The House of Commons’ heritage committee unanimously passed a motion Monday directing Hockey Canada to hand over a report from an investigation into allegations of sexual assault involving members of the 2018 world junior team.

The original motion, tabled by Conservative MP Kevin Waugh, ordered Hockey Canada to provide a completed report on the allegations by law firm Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP within 24 hours of its adoption.

It passed with an amendment from Liberal MP Chris Bittle to have the report redacted for privacy purposes before being submitted.

The motion was tabled and passed before the committee’s hearing on safe sport in Canada.

News broke in May that members of the 2018 world junior team were accused of a group sexual assault after a Hockey Canada gala event in London, Ont.

As part of the fallout, an independent investigation into the allegations by HHR (then Henein Hutchison) ordered by Hockey Canada was reopened.

Partner Danielle Robitaille said before a heritage committee hearing into the scandal in July that the investigation was initially closed in 2018 because the complainant did not provide a statement.

Robitaille said she contacted Hockey Canada and asked for a mandate to reopen the investigation after learning that the complainant planned to participate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2023.

The Canadian Press