Question Period Note: Government of Canada response to maltreatment allegations within Gymnastics in Canada and calls for an independent judicial inquiry.

The Government of Canada is taking steps to ensure more rigorous accountability within Gymnastics Canada following allegations of maltreatment at various levels of the sport in Canada. During the appearance of Gymnasts for Change Canada at the Standing Committee on the Status of Women on November 21, 2022, the representatives of this group requested that the federal government undertake an independent judicial inquiry into maltreatment in sport.

• The stories that are being shared by gymnasts around the world, including here in Canada at the local, provincial or national level, are heartbreaking, disturbing, and simply unacceptable.

• Anyone who is the victim of, or witness to a criminal act, should report the incident to the police of authority immediately.

• The creation of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner is challenging the culture of silence and will help provide a reliable mechanism to report abuse and maltreatment. Victims will be heard and supported.

• We look forward to the recommendations coming from the safe sport studies undertaken by both the Standing Committee on the Status of Women and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

• Budget 2019 provided $30 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, to enable Canadian sport organizations to promote accessible, ethical, equitable and safe sports.
• In July 2021, the then Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) had been selected, based on the recommendations of a committee of representatives of Canadian sport and experts in prevention of abuse, to establish and deliver the independent mechanism, to be called the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner.
• The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) administers the implementation of the UCCMS. On June 20, 2022, the OSIC launched its first phase of operations.
• The Minister of Sport has made it a funding condition for all federally funded organizations to become a signatory to the Abuse-Free Sport program, including the services of the OSIC as their independent third-party to receive and manage allegations of maltreatment.
• In early 2022, concerns about the culture of Gymnastics Canada and allegations implicating members of the organizations were reported in the media.
• On March 28, 2022, Gymnasts for Change Canada published their open letter to Sport Canada calling for an independent, third-party investigation. On July 21, 2022, Gymnasts for Change Canada and Global Athlete wrote to the Minister of Sport reiterating the need for a fully independent third-party investigation.
• On October 26, 2022, Gymnasts for Change Canada wrote the Minister of Sport to call for her action in initiating an independent judicial inquiry.
• On June 28, 2022, Gymnastics Canada announced that McLaren Global Sport Solutions would lead a culture review of the organization and provide recommendations.
• On July 22, 2022, the Minister of Sport announced that she would suspend funding to Gymnastics Canada until it become a signatory to the Abuse-Free Sport program, including the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner. The Minister of Sport also sent a letter to Gymnastics Canada informing the organization of the new condition.
On October 19, 2022, Gymnastics Canada became a signatory to Abuse-Free Sport program; Sport Canada therefore released funding to the organization and added conditions to its new funding agreement, including enhanced monitoring from Sport Canada, allowing a Sport Canada observer to attend regular board meetings, as well as additional payment conditions.
• On October 31, 2022, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women met to discuss the request of four members of the committee to undertake a study of women and girls in sport.
• On November 21, 2022, the first meeting of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women on the study of Women and Girls in Sport was held. Gymnasts for Change Canada, Global Athlete, Canadian Women & Sport, Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario, and academics appearing as witnesses made presentations and answered the Committee’s questions. Gymnasts for Change Canada and Global Athlete both called for an independent judicial inquiry into abuse in sport during their testimonies.
• On January 25, 2023, Gymnastics Canada announced the release of “A Framework for Change: How to Achieve a Culture Shift for Gymnastics in Canada”, an independent review done by the McLaren Global Sport Solutions. The report provides a framework and methodology to address the negative criticism and allegations of abuse that have been leveled at the governance of gymnastics in Canada. The report also provides a comprehensive review of Gymnastic Canada’s Safe Sport efforts and related policies.
• On January 27, 2023, three prominent Olympic gymnastics athletes – Rosie MacLennan, Ellie Black and Kyle Shewfelt – sent a letter to the Board of Directors of Gymnastics Canada expressing a loss of confidence in the Gymnastics Canada CEO Ian Moss and Board President Jeffery Thomson and calling for their removal.
• On February 3, 2023, Gymnastics Canada posted a Board of Directors Update to their Web site which included notice that Board President Jeffery Thomson was resigning his position. Bernard Petiot was announced as interim Chair.
• On February 23, 2023, the Gymnastics Board announced that Ian Moss was leaving from his position as CEO. At the same time, it was announced that Kacey Neely was joining the organization as Safe Sport Director, bringing a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology and extensive experience in athlete wellbeing and positive youth development.

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