Federal audit finds Hockey Canada did not use public funds for legal settlements
CTV
An audit commissioned by the federal government has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds to settle sexual assault cases or pay for related legal fees.
An audit commissioned by the federal government has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds to settle sexual assault cases or pay for related legal fees.
Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge called for the audit in June after media reported that Hockey Canada had settled a $3.55 million sexual assault lawsuit. She requested the investigation to ensure that public funds had only been used to support amateur hockey.
A summary of the audit made several conclusions, including that funds disbursed by the federal government to Hockey Canada have been used for that intended purpose.
“The Government of Canada is an integral partner in promoting Canada's game and ensuring communities across the country have access to safe and accessible hockey programming,” said Hugh Fraser, chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors, in a statement Wednesday. “We have made significant progress in addressing the government's concerns to date, and are grateful for the auditor's review, which serves as another important step in repairing our partnership.”
The audit also found that Hockey Canada had an adequate internal control framework and a budgeting process in place.
Some improvements were suggested, such as aligning the financial coding to the contribution agreements funded categories, reviewing the salaries recorded, and documenting financial processes.
The settlement was paid out to a woman in London, Ont., who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by eight hockey players, including members of the 2018 Canadian world junior team, following a Hockey Canada Foundation event.
