Hockey Canada’s Change Room Rule Is ‘Political Nonsense,’ Says Independent League President

A Hockey Canada logo is seen on the door to the organization's head office in Calgary on Nov. 6, 2022. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Kevin McKinnon runs a minor hockey league independent of Hockey Canada and says he’s glad he doesn’t have to follow the organization’s “political nonsense,” including its new inclusivity rules for change rooms.

Hockey Canada implemented a new policy this season for all minor league team players, requiring them to wear a base layer in the change room at all times and to shower in a swimsuit.

The new rules are in place for reasons of “gender identity, religious beliefs, and body image concerns,” the policy says. The base layer requirement is also included in the organization’s gender policy as a way to accommodate transgender or non-binary players.

“It’s embarrassing that Hockey Canada would try and mandate this … to accommodate the less-than-1-percent population,” Mr. McKinnon, president of Ontario Rep Hockey League (ORHL), told The Epoch Times. “It’s completely wrong.”

He said his organization, the largest independent hockey league in Ontario, doesn’t allow bullying, but it also doesn’t require equity training for coaches or broad accommodations like Hockey Canada’s change room rule.

“My take is, you’re a male or you’re female,“ he said. ”I can get into a whole lot of what’s going on in some schools across North America. ... It’s just outrageous to me that society has gotten where we are today.”

He wonders how many hockey clubs will implement the rule, and whether Hockey Canada will ensure it is being followed. “Who will police it?” Mr. McKinnon asked.

The policy includes a “rule of two”—that two trained and screened adults are present in the dressing room, or immediately outside of it with the door propped open, “to monitor the environment and ensure it is free of any discrimination, harassment, bullying, or other forms of maltreatment.”

Parents Weigh In

Some parents have expressed concern about the practicality of the new rule, while some welcome it.

In a discussion on the Canadian Hockey Moms Facebook page, some said it’s unsanitary for players to keep their base layer on after a game, and it’s impractical for many of them to change in the few washroom stalls available.

Some said the policy will help girls, who can bond better with their coed teams by being in the same change room. Some supported the inclusion for LGBT players, while others said it may protect children, given the sexual assault scandal that led Hockey Canada executives to testify before a parliamentary committee in 2022.

Among those opposed to the rule, some said independent leagues may be the way to go.

Growing Independent League

Mr. McKinnon said his league of about 750 players is steadily growing, but he can’t say whether any of the new members are a result of the change room rule specifically. “It definitely could be a contributing factor.”

“We treat everything like we’re family,” he said. “We just don’t get involved in any of the political nonsense that Hockey Canada continues to get themselves involved in.”

He decided to go independent for many reasons. He didn’t like Hockey Canada’s rules limiting players to the teams closest to their primary residences. His league lets players choose.

His ORHL doesn’t allow body-checking, so the risk of concussion is reduced, he said. And the teams only play on weekends, allowing children to focus on school during the week or other extra-curricular activities.

“Our philosophy was just to give everybody another option to play hockey,” Mr. McKinnon said. “I’m not Hockey Canada. I can play by my own rules, and this [change room rule] is one rule that I will definitely not be implementing.”