A public online portal was opened by the federal government on Tuesday to gather information on safe sport in Canada and improve its policies to protect participants.
The Future of Sport in Canada Commission hopes to hear from athletes, parents, coaches, officials, administrators, academics, victims and survivors of maltreatment in sport.
Lise Maisonneuve, the former Chief Justice of the Ontario court of justice, leads the commission that was formed in May.
“All Canadians are invited to share their sport experiences and personal perspectives with us,” said Maisonneuve in a statement. “We will meet with members of the sport community including victims and survivors of maltreatment in sport, athletes, coaches, parents and administrators as well as academics and advocates.
“We are committed to ensuring robust, well-informed recommendations to shape a safer, improved sport system in Canada.”
The commission wants to bring to light the experiences, causes and impacts of inappropriate behaviour and maltreatment encountered in sport. It was created to delve into what federal sport minister Carla Qualtrough and her predecessor Pascale St-Onge have called a safe-sport crisis in Canada.
“Sport is a source of national pride for Canadians,” Maisonneuve said at a press conference in Ottawa on May 9. “Anything which undermines the integrity of the sport systems affects us all.
“The commission is about people in sports. We are here to listen, to consider, and to help chart a safer future for sport in Canada.”
It will consider how to improve the sport system in Canada by examining a broad range of issues, including, but not limited to policy, funding structures, governance, reporting, accountability, systems alignment, conflicts of interest, culture and legal considerations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
