Chapter 9: The Commission’s proposed approach to safe sport: prevention, response and support

Part II — Safe sport in Canada

As outlined earlier in this report, the Commission’s mandate is two-fold as it is tasked to review the sport system and make recommendations on concrete and effective actions to:

• Improve safe sport in Canada, including trauma-informed approaches to support sport participants in the disclosure of and healing from maltreatment.
• Improve the sport system in Canada, including actions relating to policy, funding structures, governance, reporting, accountability, conflicts of interest, systems alignment, culture and legal considerations.^{Footnote 1}

In the first part of this Preliminary Report, we reviewed the sport system and made preliminary recommendations that, if put into action, will improve the Canadian sport system so that all Canadians can feel confident and have trust in it. Building a robust, well-governed sport system is necessary to creating and maintaining safe sport environments. Without good governance in the organizations that form the sport system, no safe sport initiative can succeed, no matter how good people’s intentions are.

In this second part, we focus on safe sport. The Commission recognizes that eliminating maltreatment in sport may not be possible. Sport is a microcosm of society and reflects its values, power dynamics and flaws. Just as abuse, harassment and discrimination exist in society at large, these issues often manifest themselves in sport as well.

However, it is important to put effective prevention measures in place to reduce how often maltreatment happens and to have mechanisms to respond appropriately when it does occur. Sport can set an example for society and model what positive change looks like.

The Commission’s proposed approach to improving safe sport in Canada is structured around three key priorities: prevention, response, and support:

• Prevention focuses on proactive measures to create safer sport environments and reduce the risk of maltreatment.
• Response addresses the need for harmonized and effective mechanisms to respond to maltreatment and hold individuals accountable.
• Support emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate support for those affected, namely in the complaint management and investigation processes.^{Footnote 2}

The Commission believes that together, these pillars form the foundation for a comprehensive and sustainable safe sport strategy. They constitute the basis for the preliminary recommendations we are putting forward for consideration.

In view of the interconnectivity of the Canadian sport landscape on one hand, and the division of powers between the federal and provincial/territorial jurisdictions on the other (discussed in Chapter 3), we believe that improving safe sport in Canada can only truly be achieved through meaningful collaboration between both levels of government. While the Government of Canada must take the lead in driving change, active collaboration from its provincial and territorial counterparts is also essential.