Hockey Canada summit to tackle sexism, gender-based violence, homophobia and transphobia

You can play the game hard and also respect differences is the message Normand Hector wants to convey at Hockey Canada’s second Beyond The Boards summit.

Hector will be the keynote speaker Thursday kicking off a two-day summit in Ottawa on unhealthy outcomes in hockey culture.

Hector is a gay black man from Saint John, NB, whose drag persona “Normani” performed earlier that season at the 2022 Memorial Cup and at a Pride Night hosted by the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Hockey New Brunswick also recruited Hector three years ago to speak to players, coaches and families about how to create a respectful hockey culture. Hector doesn’t lead those seminars in his drag persona.

“I come from a very diverse background,” Hector said. “I’m very blessed and very fortunate to have this opportunity to educate, but also to change the mindset of people within a sport who have never had someone like me in front of them.

“It is important that my story, together with other disruptors within the sports arena, and I say disruptors in a positive way, make their voices heard.

“I really want my message to be what I’ve discovered while I’m in the thick of it, while I’m out there with the players, the coaches and the families. I want to share the powerful stories of the players, coaches and families who play hockey today help shape the day.”

The first Hockey Canada summit in Calgary in September 2023 focused on toxic masculinity in elite men’s hockey.

Hockey Canada came under pressure to change sports culture following allegations of sexual assault by members of the national junior men’s hockey team during a gala in London, Ontario in 2018.

Those allegations have yet to be proven in court. Five players, all of whom went on to play in the NHL, face a jury trial next year.

Revelations in 2022 that Hockey Canada used a portion of minor hockey fees to settle lawsuits in other similar cases sparked a firestorm that exposed other issues such as racism, hazing, discrimination and homophobia, and cost the organization money in lost sponsorship fees.

The first summit in Calgary took place during Katherine Henderson’s first week as president and CEO of Hockey Canada.

“Last year’s event was an eye-opener for all of us and confirmed that there is still so much work to be done, a challenge we take very seriously,” Henderson said in a statement.

At the summit in Ottawa, former NHL executive Brian Burke, Olympic champion swimmer Mark Tewksbury and transgender athlete Harrison Browne are among the panelists on the topics of sexism and gender-based violence, homophobia and transphobia in hockey.

When Hockey New Brunswick started tracking complaints about on-ice discrimination four years ago, the number was higher than expected, director Nic Jansen said.

Hector was already speaking at schools about respect and inclusivity. HNB’s target group for Hector’s work consists of players from the U13 competitions (11-12 years) through to U18, their coaches and families.

“It’s a PowerPoint presentation, but it’s very engaging where he talks about things like why diversity matters, and he talks about some of his own experiences,” Jansen said. “He talks about the damage that can be done with discriminatory terms, whether homophobic, racial or other terms as defined by Hockey Canada.

“Then he tries to start the discussion. He gets players to talk about certain things that they might have said that maybe they shouldn’t have said, and things that might have been said to them.

“One thing that really sets Normand apart is his ability to engage the teens in the presentation and keep them interested for the 50 to 60 minutes he talks to them.”

Hector says he has seen change since he started working in the hockey community.

“Here’s how I know: First of all, it’s because of the number of questions I get during my presentation,” he explained. “My presentations are an open book. I don’t hide who I am. I don’t hide what I do. It’s clear that they can see what color I am. I allow them to ask me questions in a safe environment, but a respectful one environment.

“When I talk to them, I really make sure they understand: you can still play the game hard. That doesn’t mean you have to be disrespectful to players, but also don’t be disrespectful to someone who is. ” different.”