Hockey culture needs to change, Canada’s sports minister said on Tuesday amid reports of two former players Quebec Major Junior Hockey League players have been charged sexual assault,
Pascal St-Onge told reporters in Ottawa that everyone involved in hockey – including teams, parents and provincial associations – should do more to prevent sexual violence.
His comments came shortly after Radio-Canada first reported that two former QMJHL players and another youth were accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Drummondville, Que., about 100 kilometers northwest of Montreal, in 2016. has been applied.
“Every time we hear these stories it’s terrifying,” St-Onge said. “These are not stories we like to hear, but I think everyone also understands that this is not anecdotal and it is really part of a culture that is ingrained in the world of hockey.”
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He said players needed more education about consent and healthy sexual lifestyles.
The QMJHL said Tuesday that it recently became aware of an alleged 2016 assault involving two former Drummondville Voltzers players and another youth, adding that the league would cooperate with the judicial process and further police investigation.
“Our first thoughts are with the alleged victim and we are very sensitive to her situation,” the league said in a statement. “It explains why the league will continue to fulfill its important mission of raising awareness and educating its players about sexual misconduct and its consequences.”
Radio-Canada said two of the accused – who were minors at the time of the incident and cannot be named – have pleaded guilty in youth court to sexual assault. The broadcaster said a third accused, former Voltigeurs player Noah Corson, is due to return to court in Drummondville in June.
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When asked about the allegations, Corson’s agent, Nick Riopel, said he would not comment on the matter, citing ongoing legal procedures.
The Quebec public prosecutor’s office and Corson’s current team, the Adirondack Thunder, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Corson is the son of former Montreal Canadiens player Shayne Corson.
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