Canadian Olympic Committee to elect new president

The Canadian Olympic Committee will look to head in a new direction on Sunday as board members elect a new president. The organization has been in disarray for more than a month after sexual harassment allegations involving former president Marcel Aubut.

Aubut left his post on Oct. 3, saying the allegations were a major distraction to the organization. A formal complaint alleging sexual harassment against Aubut was filed to the COC by a female employee on Sept. 25.

Initially, Aubut stepped aside from his COC duties while the matter was being investigated, saying he "never intended to offend or upset anyone by anything [he] might have said in the performance of his duties."

One week later, two other women came forward with allegations and the investigation was expanded. The formal complaint was later withdrawn, but third-party investigations continue based on the other complaints. The results of those findings will be made public by the end of this year.

There are no criminal proceedings against Aubut and the allegations have never been proven in court. Aubut, the former president and owner of the Quebec Nordiques NHL franchise, had been the president of the COC since 2010.

Now board members are tasked with electing a new president. The organization has confirmed the two names on the list to take over for Aubut: Tricia Smith and Peter Lawless. Sources close to the COC say Smith, who took over as interim president after the resignation of Aubut, is the front-runner going into this weekend's election.

Smith is a four-time Olympian in rowing, a B.C.-based lawyer and businesswoman. She ran against Aubut to become COC president in 2009. When she took over as interim president more than a month ago, Smith said she was focused on creating "a safe environment for our athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers and all those in the Olympic family. I am personally committed to making that family safer and healthier." 

Smith has a website outlining her platform if elected president, including three pillars focusing on leadership, sport and funding. She also has a long list of endorsements, including notable names like IOC member Richard Pound and the CEO of Vanoc John Furlong.

On the website, she says: "In this time of recovery and to regain our momentum, the COC needs a leader who is credible, who is experienced, and who understands sport from multiple perspectives."

Lawless has a lengthy history connected to amateur sport in Canada. Also a B.C. lawyer, he is currently a vice-president for the COC and most recently served as the ombudsperson for Team Canada at the 2015 Toronto Parapan Am Games. He has an extensive sport-related practice and is often called upon to speak to various sports groups and organizations about legal matters, including how to stay out of legal trouble.

Lawless has been involved in High Performance sport for 25 years in sailing, athletics and cycling and has a passion for coaching. Over the years, his athletes have broken 27 world records in athletics and have won more than a dozen Paralympic or world championships medals in both cycling and athletics.

The 80 voting members that make up the COC's session will vote for the new president on Nov. 22 in Montreal. The newly elected president will finish out Aubut's term that is set to expire in the spring of 2017.