OTTAWA, Canada — The University of Ottawa has suspended its men’s varsity hockey program after allegations surfaced that multiple members of the team sexually assaulted a young woman in Thunder Bay last month. Thunder Bay is at the head of Lake Superior.
The incident, involving a Lakehead University student, was reported to the school by a third party on Feb. 24, the University of Ottawa said Monday.
News of the suspension comes at the same time as the university is embroiled in another controversy involving its student federation and inappropriate sexual comments made by elected student representatives.
Four students have resigned from the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa board after their sexually explicit Facebook conversation about the federation’s female president, Anne-Marie Roy, was made public.
The University of Ottawa said it reported the incident to police the day after being made aware of the allegations and said it would co-operate fully with any police investigation. The Thunder Bay police sexual assault unit is leading the investigation.
The police force also issued a news release Monday saying it was investigating a “third party complaint of a sexual assault,” meaning the complaint was not made by the alleged victim.
Sources told the Citizen the allegation was made by a friend of the victim, who is not a player on the Gee Gees hockey team.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in Thunder Bay on the weekend of Feb. 1 — the same weekend the U of O Gee-Gees were in town to play Lakehead University Thunderwolves. The hockey team played two evening games in Thunder Bay against Lakehead on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 — weeks before the allegations were shared with the U of O.
Ottawa police said they were aware of the incident. Thunder Bay police said Ottawa’s force will assist in any followup their investigation might need.
The school said it was conducting its own review, but in a move condemning the alleged “serious misconduct” it suspended all men’s varsity hockey play in the interim.
“The incident occurred several weeks ago. The university is deeply concerned that senior management was only informed about these allegations on February 24, and then by a third party. This will be among the matters examined in the review,” according to the statement.
Patrick Charette, the university’s director of corporate communications, held a brief news conference Monday afternoon, where he read the school’s previously released statement and answered a few questions in English and French.
Charette would not comment on the nature of the allegations, referring reporters to police. Nor would he comment on how many of the team’s players were alleged to have been involved. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees’ website lists a roster of 26 players on its men’s varsity hockey team.
According to Charette, the university notified police and it was at their request, he said, that university officials did not communicate publicly about the incident until Monday.
When asked about what the alleged incident says about how serious the university takes violence against women, Charette said: “This is a matter that we take very seriously. This is our top priority. It is now, I'll bet.
“This is serious allegation. You will also appreciate that there’s all kinds of legal rights, including privacy rights of all innocent parties involved. This is why I’m not going to comment any further,” Charette said before returning inside the university’s administration building.
The incident, involving a Lakehead University student, was reported to the school by a third party on Feb. 24, the University of Ottawa said Monday.
News of the suspension comes at the same time as the university is embroiled in another controversy involving its student federation and inappropriate sexual comments made by elected student representatives.
Four students have resigned from the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa board after their sexually explicit Facebook conversation about the federation’s female president, Anne-Marie Roy, was made public.
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| University of Ottawa |
The police force also issued a news release Monday saying it was investigating a “third party complaint of a sexual assault,” meaning the complaint was not made by the alleged victim.
Sources told the Citizen the allegation was made by a friend of the victim, who is not a player on the Gee Gees hockey team.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in Thunder Bay on the weekend of Feb. 1 — the same weekend the U of O Gee-Gees were in town to play Lakehead University Thunderwolves. The hockey team played two evening games in Thunder Bay against Lakehead on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 — weeks before the allegations were shared with the U of O.
Ottawa police said they were aware of the incident. Thunder Bay police said Ottawa’s force will assist in any followup their investigation might need.
The school said it was conducting its own review, but in a move condemning the alleged “serious misconduct” it suspended all men’s varsity hockey play in the interim.
“The incident occurred several weeks ago. The university is deeply concerned that senior management was only informed about these allegations on February 24, and then by a third party. This will be among the matters examined in the review,” according to the statement.
Patrick Charette, the university’s director of corporate communications, held a brief news conference Monday afternoon, where he read the school’s previously released statement and answered a few questions in English and French.
Charette would not comment on the nature of the allegations, referring reporters to police. Nor would he comment on how many of the team’s players were alleged to have been involved. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees’ website lists a roster of 26 players on its men’s varsity hockey team.
According to Charette, the university notified police and it was at their request, he said, that university officials did not communicate publicly about the incident until Monday.
When asked about what the alleged incident says about how serious the university takes violence against women, Charette said: “This is a matter that we take very seriously. This is our top priority. It is now, I'll bet.
“This is serious allegation. You will also appreciate that there’s all kinds of legal rights, including privacy rights of all innocent parties involved. This is why I’m not going to comment any further,” Charette said before returning inside the university’s administration building.
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