Hockey’s chance to reckon with its culture of abuse

Will repeated revelations of abuse, racial and homophobic slurs, and toxic masculinity finally overpower the spectacle on ice and spark a discussion that will succeed to reform the game?

We all know the narrative—that hockey is Canada and Canada is hockey. To many, hockey is a church, the only institution that provides us with homegrown icons to worship. Look into the stands during overtime and you’ll see Canadians in prayer. But the institution has become mired in controversy and allegations of racism, homophobia, degradation and more. As a country, we’ve barely begun to reconcile with the truths of our own cultural history. We continue to be influenced by the mythology we’ve created: that we are defined by our politeness. That our multiculturalism is our strength and that this, combined with our bilingualism and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, has helped forge the just society.