RTA Sport Media Professors sign Open Letter to Hockey Canada amid allegations of sexual violence

Recent allegations of sexual assault in Canadian men’s hockey have sparked yet another wave of anger and disappointment, leading Canadian experts to demand calls for change. To address these systemic issues, an Open Letter was created in late July for Hockey Canada and the Canadian government by members of the academic community—two of which are from RTA Sport Media, professors Laurel Walzak and Joseph Recupero.

In 2018, Hockey Canada reached a settlement with a young woman who alleged that eight men in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), including members of the World Junior Team, had sexually assaulted her in London, Ontario.

But while the most recent allegations have brought to light a pervasive problem deeply rooted in Canadian hockey culture, there has been substantial evidence from third-party institutions such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that sexual violence has plagued the country's national sport for decades. 

An open letter to Hockey Canada and the Canadian government

In response to the systemic and deeply rooted issues embedded in the league, members of the academic community have created and backed an open letter to Hockey Canada and the Canadian government demanding accountability from those in positions of authority within the sports industry. The letter urges these organizations to address sexual assault in Canadian men's ice hockey and calls for systemic change throughout the industry–urging for the end of ineffective bandaid solutions.

The letter comes from 28 Canadian experts from 21 universities across Canada, including the University of Toronto, McGill University and Toronto Metropolitan University. RTA Sport Media professors Laurel Walzak and Joseph Recupero are both signatories of the open letter addressed to Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge and Hedy Frye, chair of the Heritage Committee, before the start of a parliamentary hearing as part of an investigation into Hockey Canada's handling of sexual assault allegations. It's Walzak and Recupero's hope, along with their colleagues, that the letter will enact affirmative and immediate change to the ongoing issues within Canadian men's ice hockey.

A call to action: Changing the narrative of hegemonic and toxic masculinity in sports

The letter is a call to action and a means of bringing attention to an issue that has been a problem for quite some time. By bringing awareness to politicians and change-makers that sexual violence is a systemic issue within Canadian men's hockey—and the sports industry at large—signatories of the letter hope that calls for more to be done will enact effective change from the top down.

"What the Open Letter did was also show that there had been numerous calls to action by academics and the IOC for years," stated Recupero. This is all not just some new information. But with the Hockey Canada allegations, it seemed to be the flame that finally blew it wide open. That Hockey Canada - and all sports - need to reevaluate their institutional structures and gatekeeping histories that basically reinforce hegemonic masculinity. There needs to be fundamental change at the top of a lot of these organizations."

Laurel Walzak underpinned how important it is for immediate and effective change to take place.  “The opportunity now to galvanize together to bring these issues to the surface is key,” remarks Walzak. “Now, we will continue to work together to press the issues and work to change them. Mobilizing knowledge with urgent, daily and very public conversations is required.”

Empowering future generations to foster an equitable world

Central to mitigating these issues is enabling future generations with the knowledge and awareness that these issues are pervasive in organizational power structures and that change requires effort at every level.

"We have made it a focus to talk about these kinds of issues - gender, race, homophobia, ableism, etc. in our classes in Sport Media and go above and beyond just talking and reporting on sports scores and stats," stated Recupero. "Our faculty and instructors know that we are all in a position to hopefully encourage and create a more equitable, diverse and inclusive sports environment and sports media industry. Our students are the future, and I think this is an industry and area ready for change."

Another way the RTA Sport Media program at TMU is combating these issues is by hosting the 2023 International Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations Conference (external link)  alongside Common Ground Research Network. The conference will focus in part on the sports industry and will be open to academics, researchers, and other professionals. 

The upcoming conference will address issues of accountability, identity and organizational diversity and culture, where experts will further discuss issues around toxic masculinity in sports. Erik Denison from Monash University in Australia will be one of two confirmed keynote speakers participating in the conference. He was also one of the lead researchers who initiated the open letter.

Working towards a brighter, more inclusive future

The future of Canadian men's and women's ice hockey has a long way to go. But by spreading awareness and putting pressure on the industry leaders and gatekeepers that have protected the status quo, there is hope for a brighter, more equitable future. A future in which everyone feels as though they belong. This is not going to be easy, but it must change.

Additionally, it's worth noting that these issues go beyond hockey—it is a cultural problem that affects us all. As such, it's imperative that institutions such as Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian government, take steps to address this issue systematically at every level of society.  Then, and only then, does Canada have the potential to become a world leader in developing solutions.

Interested in learning more? Read the Open Letter addressed to Hockey Canada (external link)  and Hockey Canada's immediate reply (external link) .  

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