Quebec confirms hearings into hazing in major junior hockey will not be extended

The Quebec government will not extend the hearings into violence and hazing in Quebec major junior hockey.

Québec Solidaire health critic Vincent Marissal asked the committee to extend the hearings on Wednesday. He and other members of the National Assembly questioned representatives from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Canadian Hockey League, Hockey Quebec, the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec and McGill University.

Hearings took place at the Quebec legislature after court documents outlined graphic testimony from six unnamed former hockey players. Their shocking accounts were part of an attempt to launch a class-action lawsuit.

Each player described months of abuse — including sexual assault, beatings, torture and humiliation by veteran players — that they endured as rookies on various teams across Canada.

Responding to the news that the hearings would not be extended, Marissal said Wednesday's hearing was "not enough."

"We heard five testimonies. We have more questions than we do answers this morning," said Marissal.

Isabelle Charest, the provincial minister responsible for sports, said the goal of the hearings was to make sure there are mechanisms in place to prevent future abuse.

"The goal is not to hear about everything that has happened in the past. The goal is to make sure that we provide [a] secure environment for the athletes," said Charest.

Charest says she will continue her mandate to improve the complaint process for hazing and ensure athletes have information about the importance of denouncing hazing and problematic behaviour.