Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
We've reached Moezine Hasham. He's the founder and executive director of the Hockey 4 Youth Foundation. It fosters inclusion for newcomers of all genders in hockey with programs in both Ontario and Quebec. Moezine also played minor and university hockey. Thank you so much for coming to join us in speaking about all of this today.
Moezine Hasham:
Thanks for having me, Hillary.
Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
So, Moezine, what does it indicate to you that these hearings were even called in the first place?
Moezine Hasham:
Yeah, look, I think it's an important topic. I think it definitely needs to be studied. But as we've seen over the past several months, including with Hockey Canada, there's a toxic culture that permeates minor hockey, specifically when it comes to boys and young teens. And that's a challenge for the game in and of itself.
But also it's a challenge for us, working in the sport development community, to focus on what's really the important part of playing a sport like hockey. That idea of having fun, teamwork, and building friendships, all of those things are being overshadowed by these stories that continue to come out. And it's a big problem when it comes to even getting newcomer kids or kids who are not born in Canada into the game of hockey. There are some serious issues here around sexual assault, and it goes on from there.
There are problems with misogyny and homophobia, transphobia. All of these issues permeate these closed cultural environments of hockey inside arenas. And while it's being studied, and the Quebec government should be commended for that, the issue has been here for decades, and I'm really focused on looking at what are the concrete solutions coming out of this situation and when are we going to help these young men to heal, when are we going to help the victims heal?
This is a problem for hockey right across the country. I can tell you that this is probably a situation that's going to showcase itself in other parts of the country as more people come forward.
Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
And as someone who works with youth Moezine, what do you hope that some of those solutions that you're talking about, what do you hope some of those solutions might be?
Moezine Hasham:
Yeah, well, look, I know the Quebec government a while back had talked about forming a committee to talk about why people aren't kids, in particular, aren't joining hockey. And I can tell you, I wasn't invited to those meetings. I speak French fluently. I was born and raised in Vancouver to parents who were refugees to Canada.
I've played hockey my whole life. Every time I have a platform, I talk about the inclusion side of hockey. What we've done here at Hockey 4 Youth Foundation is create a safe, inclusive environment where we're welcoming kids of all genders. We're welcoming teens representing 38 countries of origin, Canadian kids who are born here from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
To get into the game, there needs to be more investment in the type of hockey that we're delivering, because we're seeing the problems that are occurring at the provincial sport organization level, the national sporting body that governs hockey. They have a lot of issues that they can't resolve, and that's a problem. But on the flip side, organizations like mine, there are organizations like Black Girl Hockey Club; we're doing the work on the ground to really make the game a safe, inclusive space.
Because at the end of the day, Canada thrives on hockey. We forget about how much we love this game, but every time these stories come out about racism, misogyny, sexual assault, and toxic culture, it's damaging to the game. And so for us at Hockey 4 Youth Foundation, we're soon going to be in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, which makes us a national charitable organization that's going to help foster the positive side of the game. So I hope that governments reach out to me and my organization to ask us how can we help them to deliver more safe and inclusive hockey experiences to families and kids as you say.
Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
Moezine, likely some of these issues that are being discussed right now have been going on for years. But now that they really are sort of out in the open and that there is a spotlight on them, what sort of questions are you getting from both kids and parents when it comes to whether or not they're going to be safe playing these sports?
Moezine Hasham:
Yeah, look, our organization, we're not a minor hockey organization. And frankly, I've got friends and family that have put their kids into hockey. Generally speaking for myself, I had a very safe experience in minor hockey. So maybe I was one of the lucky ones and maybe there are other kids who didn't have that experience.
But the kids who are facing these experiences of hazing and toxic culture, that is problematic because as they grow out of hockey, how are they going to be in society? I always say that what happens inside the arena doors is problematic when you go outside of the arena doors and parents and families and kids aren't able to interact in the way that they should.
And so what I'm really looking for here right now is what are the concrete solutions? What are we doing to fix the culture of silence? What are we doing to fix the game itself? It's really a difficult situation that's occurring, whether it's at the Hockey Canada level, whether it's in the QMJHL, whether it's in minor hockey again, the focus and emphasis on young boys and men who are in these environments where they are taught a culture of silence, and that's problematic from my perspective.
We need to do more investing in the fun side of the game. Not everything needs to be about winning this trophy and that tournament. It's got to be about grassroots, fun hockey that's safe, inclusive, and welcoming to all. That's the way you create a game. That's what I grew up playing and that's what I want to see happen coming out of this.
I want to see the Quebec government invest in organizations like ours that are doing the legwork. We were just in Montreal two weeks ago launching a program with the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition and Georges Laraque for 28 girls who had not played hockey before. So there are ways to make this game accessible and fun and inclusive and safe. We need to do a better job of doing that.
Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
Well, let's hope more of that starts to happen, Moezine. Thank you so much for this. We really do appreciate your time today.
Moezine Hasham:
Thank you, Hillary. Really appreciate it.
Hillary Johnstone (CBC):
Moezine Hasham in Toronto. He's the founder and director of Hockey 4 Youth.