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The comment violates the association’s code of conduct, he said.

“You shouldn’t be calling people bitches. You say something like that at work and you’re looking at Bill 168,” he said, citing legislation on workplace violence and harassment. “That would classify as harassment.”

It’s the worst case of name calling he has heard in the organization, he said, saying he will speak to the WMHA’s abuse and harassment committee about it Tuesday night.

“Should I have said it? No, I shouldn’t have,” Lapierre said in an interview, adding he has spoken to a lawyer for advice.

“I screwed up. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

“If I offended anyone, I apologize,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to be malicious toward anyone.”

But he continued, appearing to defend himself.

“It’s just that everything on Facebook was blown up about this protest regarding President Trump,” he said.

If Canadian women want to march, they should march in Canada against Premier Kathleen Wynne, he said.

He posted the comment on his personal Facebook page, not a public one, he said. He has between 1,100 and 1,200 Facebook friends, but none of them are minor hockey players, he said.

Some people may have taken it “the wrong way,” he said. Most of his posts are jokes, he said.

He has received about 70 messages supporting him, he said. Three people have contacted him to complain, he said, but “I don’t even know them.”

Still, he said, “nothing justifies what I did.”

The association, which has about 940 players ages four to 18, including 30 girls, is “committed to providing an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect,” according to its code of conduct.