World Politics

Abuse in Canadian sports will face new committee scrutiny after unanimous vote – National

Melanie Joly to discuss Russia-Ukraine war with German foreign minister - National

A House of Commons committee is set to undertake a new study into the “physical and emotional health and safety” of women and girls in sports, following a series of high-profile allegations from women who said they faced abuse as they participated in a number of different sports.

On Monday, the House of Commons status of women committee voted unanimously in favour of starting the study.

The motion, tabled by Bloc Quebecois MP Andréanne Larouche, calls on the committee to “immediately undertake a study on sport and the status of women, including the physical and emotional health and safety of women and girls in sport.”

Read more:

Hockey Canada signs up with sport integrity commissioner amid abuse scandals

The committee will dedicate four meetings to the issue and will invite Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge to testify on the issue — as well as any other witnesses the committee “deems appropriate to invite.”

Story continues below advertisement

Once they wrap up their work, the committee will report its observations and recommendations to the House of Commons. They’ll also ask the government to table a comprehensive response to their report.

This is the latest study on the issue, after a high-profile series of Canadian Heritage committee meetings in July. However, that probe was limited in its scope — it focused only on Hockey Canada, while this new study will have a broader mandate to look at the treatment of women and girls in a variety of sports.

Arguing in favour of her motion on Monday, Larouche said the mistreatment of women and girls in sport goes beyond recent headlines about Hockey Canada.

“There are women in different sports — water polo, gymnastics and I could name many — that are talking about similar issues,” she said, speaking in French.


Click to play video: 'Hockey Canada’s entire senior leadership exits over sexual abuse controversy'


Hockey…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at : Politics…