Canada's minister of sport launching financial audit of Hockey Canada following lawsuit

Canada's minister of sport, Pascale St-Onge has ordered a financial audit into whether public funds were used in the Hockey Canada settlement of a lawsuit.

On Thursday in Parliament, St-Onge announced the move saying Canadians "deserve to know" how the settlement was paid. 

Last week it was reported by TSN and later confirmed by Sportsnet that Hockey Canada reached a settlement with a woman who alleged in a lawsuit that she was sexually assaulted by multiple Canadian Hockey League players, including members of Canada's gold-medal winning 2017-18 World Junior team.

Earlier today, by unanimous consent, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HoC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HoC</a> adopted a motion concerning the appearance of Hockey Canada before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a>

The assaults are alleged to have taken place on June 18 and June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf event in London, Ont. None of the allegations against the players have been proven in court.

"The financial audit is to ensure that Hockey Canada has complied with its funding agreement with Sports Canada and to ensure that there are no public funds that have been used to settle that agreement," St-Onge said in French.

Hockey Canada said it is "deeply troubled by the very serious allegations of sexual assault regarding members of the 2017-18 National Junior Hockey Team."

The NHL also issued a statement describing the actions alleged in the woman's statement of claim as "abhorrent and reprehensible." 

"We will endeavour to learn the underlying facts and, to the extent this may involve players who are now in the NHL,