The University of Ottawa has relaunched its varsity men’s hockey program, two years after the entire team was suspended following a sexual assault investigation involving two players.
The Ottawa Gee-Gees will once again compete in the 2016-17 season, with new head coach Patrick Grandmaitre.
Two players from the team were charged in connection with an alleged incident involving a 21-year-old woman during a road trip in February, 2014. A month later, the university suspended the men’s hockey program.
Trial dates for the two accused players have yet to be set.
In 2015, the university released a task force report aimed at preventing sexual violence and fostering a culture of respect on campus. The school committed to fulfilling 11 recommendations in the report, including adopting a statement of values on respect and equality, and instituting mandatory training on sexual violence to all senior administrators.
Julie Lalonde, a social justice advocate who contributed a report to the uOttawa task force, said it remains to be seen whether the men’s hockey program will also embrace a culture change.
“But they’ve hired new staff, they are doing training,” Lalonde told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. “For me, it’s a matter of keeping up the public pressure.”
Lalonde said that, overall, the University of Ottawa has been doing “some great work” over the past two years to address the issue of sexual violence and harassment.
