"They have lost the confidence of Canadians" - Justin Trudeau once condemned Hockey Canada for its handling of s*x scandal

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, like any other person of his nationality, is a big fan of hockey. He has expressed his support for Montreal Canadiens and has often commented on issues related to hockey in the nation. It was no different when a major scandal erupted in Hockey Canada in 2022.

This happened soon after Hockey Canada and the CHL had a lawsuit brought by a woman. This lady claimed that eight Canadian Hockey League players had sexually assaulted her in a hotel room during a banquet and golf event in 2018 for the Hockey Canada Foundation.

A member of the gold-medal winning Canadian World Junior Championship team from 2017–18 was among those named in the case as a defendant.

Prime Minister Trudeau delivered one of his most forceful comments yet against Hockey Canada. He suggested that if the nation's governing body for the sport does not make significant changes soon, Canadians might want to consider forming a new group called Canada Hockey.

"There needs to be wholesale change, they need to do it, they need to realize that if we have to create an organization — get rid of Hockey Canada — and create an organization called Canada Hockey instead, people will look at doing that."

Justin Trudeau told reporters further in Ottawa:

"There is a lack of understanding that they have lost the confidence of Canadians. The sooner they get to that, the better it will be for everyone."

This statement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was needed after this scandal rocked the nation and created shockwaves among the hockey community in the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't shy away from controversies in hockey

Justin Trudeau alongside Prince Harry

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau never shies away from commenting on matters regarding hockey and his favourite team, the Montreal Canadiens.

Trudeau declared then that he was "deeply disappointed" with the Montreal Canadiens' selection of Logan Mailloux in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

When the Canadiens chose Mailloux, an 18-year-old defenseman, they stunned the hockey community. He "renounced" himself from the draft earlier, following press stories about an event in Sweden where he displayed a picture to colleagues of him and a lady having a consensual sex act.

The woman reported to the local police that the photo had been taken without her permission. Mailloux was punished for invasion of privacy and slander but not detained.

The team faced a lot of backlash after that pick. Mailloux was suspended later on by the team due to the incident. But further down the line, in 2022, he signed a three-year contract with the team.