Bob Dawson unfolds a piece of paper to read a quote from Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer.

“‘We’re more than just a hockey team, as you know. It’s what we do for the community. So, for me, it’s about understanding what the needs are, what our fans have need and what citizens want and to be a part of it,'” Dawson reads a video call with CBC.

Dawson is a pioneer for black hockey players in Canada. Part of the first all-black line in Canadian university hockey, the defenseman played with Saint Mary’s University from 1967 to 1971, where he was the target of racist insults.

When the senators announcement their community practice last month To foster more authentic engagement with diverse communities, Dawson said he is saddened that many racialized communities have not gotten a seat at the table.

“(Andlauer) is taking steps to realize and put into practice what he said,” Dawson said. “It turns out that at the moment there is an important element of representation missing from this cabinet.”

Centered on the “3 founding nations”

The firm was created in early 2024 to advise the organization’s community initiatives. It is made up of five members, a facilitator and a specific focus.

The senators’ director of operations, Erin Crowe, said the cabinet was focused on the region’s “three founding nations.”

“If we think about the National Capital Region, the three founding nations here would be the Algonquin Anishinābeg Nation, the French Canadians and the English Canadians,” she said.

Dawson likes the cabinet idea, particularly the importance of mobilizing Algonquins, but said it is missing crucial votes.

“It appears their focus is very narrow,” he said.

Former Hockey Eastern Ontario board member Jacquie Dixon questioned the exclusion of Black people when many are willing to contribute.

“They missed the boat, but why miss the boat when you have personalities… who are doing things in the black community and know what’s going on there,” she asked. “Why not contact them?”

Dawson pointed out that the Black community is not the only one absent from this cabinet: according to the 2021 census, approximately 85,000 Ottawa residents identified as Black, 58,000 as Arab and another 58,000 as South Asian.

Dawson and Dixon both attended Senators’ Evening celebrating Black History at the Canadian Tire Center (CTC) in February.

Just days before the game, the two also attended the Maritime Colored Hockey League celebration at the CTC.

However, outside of February, they say engagement with the black community is almost non-existent.

Crowe said the organization plans to expand its initiatives beyond its “specialty nights,” such as Black History Night and Pride Night.

“When we do these nights, it can’t just be one night, right?” she said. “It has to be something that we ingrain into the fabric of our organization and have that ongoing awareness and commitment.”

Dawson said he and a colleague reached out to the team to discuss broader initiatives affecting the Black community over the summer, but their communication “fell on deaf ears.”

Representation is “critical”

Since playing, Dawson has seen progress toward equity and inclusion in the hockey world, but that progress has not progressed as far as the Black hockey historian hoped.

“Racism is still alive and well in hockey,” he said.

Hockey Canada reported an increase in allegations of race-based discrimination between the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. CBC Ottawa reported on allegations of racist remarks on the ice earlier this year.

Dixon said the mistreatment black children experience can drive them away from sports.

WATCH | Black hockey players from western Quebec reported in 2022 having been victims of racist insults:

Black hockey players in Gatineau say racism harms their experience of the game

Jean Bosco Citegetse and his son, Blesson Ethan Citegetse, say racism in Gatineau minor hockey is a persistent and disappointing problem.

Participants in a 2024 report on hockey in Canada said these harmful behaviors are “normalized and passed down from generation to generation.”

“Meaningful change requires a shift in culture, norms and expectations rather than a box-ticking exercise,” the report says.

With nearly 84 percent of the NHL roster identifying as white in 2022, Dixon and Dawson said this culture shift starts with greater representation.

“Having these representatives at the table to share their lived experiences is critical,” Dawson said.

“Everyone can say they’re open to it, but until they commit to diversity, that’s when they realize they’re really not that open that he meant it,” Dixon added.

Course correction

Cheri Bradish, a sports marketing professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, said organizations need to ensure representation on advisory groups like the community cabinet.

She said it’s common to see teams “correct course” in their community outreach efforts when there are concerns from the public.

Crowe said she was happy to hear concerns about the cabinet because it is important to listen to stakeholders.

“I think we will need to have discussions about whether this cabinet should be expanded or how we can ensure – whether through this cabinet or other means – how we engage with this community that we deal with and care about on a more regular basis,” she said.

Continued engagement with communities creates “breakthroughs,” she said, by bringing them into the organization. She stressed that more communities should experience it.

When asked if senators have taken steps to include other communities in their engagement efforts, Crowe said the organization has not had specific discussions about expanding their initiatives, but that she would be “happy to explore” this possibility.

Dawson and Dixon hope senators will course-correct and include more communities in the cabinet or other future community efforts.

Dawson, who works with the organization during Black History Month, said he would raise this issue at the start of their annual preparation.

Dixon says senators “need to do more.”

“My (next) steps would be to engage,” she said. “Hire us to help you structure your contact with the black community.”