Independent Third Party Complaint Process
Hockey Canada and its Members want to end the culture of silence that exists in parts of hockey.
To help ensure that we are a safe space for raising concerns, Hockey Canada has established a new, fully independent, and confidential reporting mechanism for all individuals regarding any incidents involving Hockey Canada sanctioned programming. This reporting mechanism is known as the Independent Third Party and is led by Brian Ward and Jahmiah Ferdinand.
To learn more about Hockey Canada’s Independent Third Party (ITP), how to submit a maltreatment complaint and more – please review the information on the ITP’s website:
INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY (ITP) WEBSITE >
When to report to the ITP.
The ITP reviews cases of “serious maltreatment”, which individuals can often interpret differently. Check out the ITP website for details on how they define “serious maltreatment”.
To err on the side of caution it is recommended that reports into ITP occur for any conduct or complaint issues involving:
- Sexual maltreatment (sexual abuse, violence, assault etc.)
- Distribution/sharing of child sexual abuse images
- Physical assault/violence
- Repeated instances of bullying, harassment and/or discrimination (racism, sexism etc.). Particularly when it has caused significant impact or harm.
- Other forms of severe maltreatment (behaviours that have caused serious impact or harm, physical, sexual, or psychological in nature).
- Other forms of harm, if reasonably known to be illegal or criminal in nature (exploitation, online exploitation, trafficking, child abuse, grooming).
Best practices for reporting to the ITP.
- Report to the ITP first.
- Do not wait until instances of maltreatment and harm have “built up” before reporting. Hockey Alberta is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all our players and members and believes all instances of maltreatment should be reported as soon as possible.
- The ITP reporting form may not have enough space to capture all your information, it is suggested that you put the relevant details of your complaint first into a Word document and attach that to the complaint reporting form.
- It is recommended to give all the information and details you have relevant to the situation. This could include images and videos, other testimonials, details of harm, communication pathways etc.
- Do share any steps you have taken to address your concern and the outcome of those steps.
- Do fill your report with current facts and details verses personal perceptions and bias.
- You may choose to remain anonymous from those involved in the complaint but will need to be available and known to the ITP for them to communicate regarding your complaint.
The new Hockey Canada Maltreatment Complaint Management policy outlines the role of the Independent Third Party and the applicable processes.
Hockey Canada Maltreatment Complaint Management Policy >
A key feature of the Independent Third Party structure is its independence from Hockey Canada. The Independent Third Party has sole jurisdiction to handle complaints and keeps the identity of complainants confidential from Hockey Canada and Member associations. The Independent Third Party will not be unduly influenced by anyone at Hockey Canada regarding the complaint administration process. Although the Independent Third Party mechanism is staffed by some lawyers, those lawyers do not provide any legal advice to Hockey Canada.
Hockey Canada will receive anonymized reports from the Independent Third Party from time to time documenting the number of complaints received, categorizing complaints and reporting on other metrics such as response times and the time required to close complaints. This reporting protects the identity of all those involved with a complaint process while also ensuring proper oversight of the performance of the Independent Third Party.
Reporting Abuse or Harassment is often a difficult process. The Independent Third Party is committed to operating in a trauma informed manner. For example:
- All reports will be kept entirely confidential, in line with the wishes of the person making the complaint. This includes confidentiality from Hockey Canada and Member association staff.
- All Complaints will be followed up in a timely manner.
- The Independent Third Party has developed resources to share with survivors of abuse and can direct survivors to additional supports.
- The Independent Third Party answers questions about the complaint process.
- Complaints are taken seriously and rigorously examined.
- The Independent Third Party is staffed by a number of diverse professionals reflecting both gender and racial diversity. Service is available in both French and English.
