Ottawa names trio to lead commission
Judge, child protection expert and former Team Canada doctor to lead investigation
Canada’s Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough has named the three people who will lead the longawaited investigation into the crisis of abuse in Canada’s sport system.
The Future of Sport in Canada Commission will include a former Ontario chief justice, an expert in child protection and victims rights, and a former Team Canada sports doctor.
It’s the first update since Qualtrough announced the creation of the new commission last December. Led by former Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice Lise Maisonneuve as the independent commissioner and two special advisers Noni Classen and Dr. Andrew Pipe, the commission will spend the next 18 months reviewing Canada’s sport system by interviewing victims and survivors of maltreatment in sport as well as sport organizations, stakeholders and experts.
“We have an opportunity to ensure that all athletes and participants in the world of sport have a safe and positive sport experience,” Qualtrough said Thursday.
The minister urged all Canadians to participate in the commission, which will operate on a voluntary level, to come forward to share their “perspectives, approaches and solutions.”
“The quality of the results of this process depends on the quality of the contributions received.”
The federal government proposed $10.6 million over two years, starting in 2024, to support the commission. It is expected to release two reports and convene a national summit to allow participants to deliberate on its preliminary findings and recommendations at the conclusion of its review.
“We are committed to examining carefully the sport system in Canada and identifying the structures and processes that will support a values-based safe sports system for all,” said Maisonneuve, adding it is too early to say how they will approach their mandate. “We appreciate the powerful role of sport in our society, the need to ensure it receives thoughtful stewardship and that the well-being of all participants is paramount.”
Joining Maisonneuve is Classen, the director of education and support services at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. She has worked with youth who have experienced complex trauma and child sexual abuse, as well as trauma prevention and protection, according to Qualtrough.
Dr. Pipe, a clinician scientist at the Ottawa Heart Institute and a professor at the University of Ottawa, has been a team doctor at 12 Olympic Games and was a chief medical officer for Olympic, Pan-Am and Commonwealth teams.
A public inquiry into abuse in Canada’s sport system has been called for in recent years by athletes, sport advocates and MPs, including former minister of sport Kirsty Duncan. Last year, athletes’ testimony before the heritage and status of women committees led to calls for a public inquiry into abuse in sports.
Advocates argue a public inquiry would have judicial standing to subpoena witnesses, compel evidence and hold sport organizations accountable, unlike the voluntary nature of a commission.
However, Qualtrough cited concerns over whether an inquiry could be trauma informed and provide a “safe place for victims and survivors.”