Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge is once again calling for change in Hockey Canada's leadership in the wake of new allegations against the troubled sporting body.
The Globe and Mail reported Monday that Hockey Canada put player registration fees toward a second fund "for matters including but not limited to sexual abuse," according to documents obtained by the newspaper.
The news follows revelations in July that another fund, known as the National Equity Fund, was used to settle sexual misconduct claims. "I think it shows a total lack of transparency," St-Onge told reporters on Parliament Hill Monday. "And the other thing it shows is that sexual violence has been treated as an insurance problem at Hockey Canada instead of a systemic problem that needs to be addressed at the root of the problem." It was revealed in July that Hockey Canada had paid out $7.6 million in nine settlements related to sexual assault and sexual abuse claims since 1989.
Monday's news also shows those at the top of the organization need to resign, St-Onge said. WATCH | 'Change in leadership in Hockey Canada' needed, says St-Onge: "Anything that should happen with Hockey Canada from now on should happen with new leadership," she said. "I don't see how they can rebuild trust having the same people that didn't do enough in the past decades." TSN reported in May that Hockey Canada had paid an undisclosed settlement to a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of Canada's 2018 world junior team.