Hockey Canada, the governing body of ice hockey in Canada, is hosting a summit in Calgary on September 8 and 9, 2023, to address some of the toxic issues that plague the sport and its culture. The conference, called Beyond the Boards, will bring together scholars, media, advocates, and stakeholders from inside and outside hockey to have open and honest conversations about making hockey more positive, inclusive, and safe for all participants. The summit is the first in a series of sessions Hockey Canada plans to hold in 2024 and beyond, covering topics such as racism, homophobia, sexism, and elitism in hockey.
The main focus of the inaugural summit is to tackle the root cause of many problems in hockey culture: toxic masculinity. According to Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer Pat McLaughlin, the forum is intended to challenge the narrow and harmful definition of what it means to be a man in hockey and how that affects the behavior and attitudes of players, coaches, officials, and fans. McLaughlin said that Hockey Canada wants to “get to the root cause of culture” and “make us incredibly uncomfortable” by confronting the issues head-on.
To guide the summit, Hockey Canada enlisted the help of Teresa Fowler, a hockey scholar with a Ph.D. in philosophy, curriculum, and learning. Fowler said that elite masculine hockey culture is deeply ingrained in Canada’s national identity and often excludes or marginalizes people who do not fit into its rigid norms. Fowler said that by starting with masculinity, the summit would also address other aspects of hockey culture that are influenced by systems of white supremacy, such as violence, discrimination, and abuse.
The summit comes when Hockey Canada faces intense scrutiny and criticism over handling several cases of sexual assault involving players involved with Team Canada at the World Juniors. In May 2023, it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled a $3.5-million lawsuit alleging a group sexual assault in 2018. Since then, more allegations have surfaced, leading to the resignation of Hockey Canada’s CEO and board of directors. A new board will be elected on December 17, 2023
Hockey Canada is not the only organization trying to change the toxic culture of the sport. The Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) arranged for every one of its teams to hear a presentation from Brock McGillis, one of the first professional hockey players to come out as gay. McGillis challenged the players to share their interests outside the “safe four topics” of conversation: hockey, women, sports, and music. McGillis said that most players are more inclusive than previous generations, but their language and behavior do not match their values.
The Beyond the Boards summit is a critical step for Hockey Canada to acknowledge and address the issues that affect the sport and its culture. By engaging with experts, advocates, and stakeholders from different perspectives and backgrounds, Hockey Canada hopes to create a roadmap for positive change that will make hockey more welcoming and respectful for everyone. McLaughlin said, “The time is now to put intentional efforts towards addressing these important issues.”
