Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough said early next week that she would announce… An independent official mechanism
To review systemic abuses and human rights violations in Canadian sports.
Qualtrough made the comment in Switzerland at a United Nations forum amid ongoing calls within Canada from athletes, coaches and members of Parliament to launch a public inquiry into abuses in sports.
The process will be shock-informed, human rights-based and forward-looking,
she said in a speech (A new window) At the Sport Opportunity Forum on Tuesday in Geneva.
Elite athletes in several sports have accused the federal government of failing to act in response to abuses in sports. They are among those who have appeared before House of Commons committees investigating the problem and have repeatedly called for a public inquiry. (A new window)
Former Sports Minister Pascal Saint-Onge is committed Do something to address your athletes
Whether it’s a general investigation or some sort investigation
Before being transferred to another ministerial position this summer.
In other scenarios, when the government was facing a crisis, it appointed people such as retired Supreme Court justices to independently review the problem. For example, in the midst of the military’s sexual misconduct crisis, the government commissioned retired Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbor to review the case and issue a report.
Earlier this year, Ottawa appointed former Governor General David Johnston as an independent special rapporteur on foreign interference to investigate China’s attempts to interfere in the past election, before he stepped down amid controversy and a public inquiry was called.
Qualtrough did not say what an independent mechanism to investigate abuses in sports would look like during her remarks in Geneva.
She also advertises A series of immediate actions
To address issues that survivors of abuse have exposed and highlighted in parliamentary committees.
Qualtrough said the announcement will include what happens next with Canada’s abuse of the Safe Sport program and the Office of the Sports Integrity Commissioner.
More is coming
Ashley Burke (A new window) · CBC News