Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada Board of Directors

Nomination Opportunity

Position

An athlete representative position on the Board of Directors of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) is vacant. The successful applicant will be appointed to the Board by the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity for a mandate that will end July 2025.

Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada

The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada is a not-for-profit corporation, created and governed by the Physical Activity and Sport Act, and funded by Sport Canada. Its mission is to provide the Canadian sport community with information, expertise and assistance regarding the prevention and resolution of sports-related disputes. It is proactive in dispute prevention by offering educational resources to help prevent, address and resolve conflicts quickly, minimizing jeopardy for sport organizations, teams, athletes and other members of the sport community. Where the parties involved in a sports-related dispute cannot reach a resolution on their own, the SDRCC offers a timely, cost-efficient and professional national alternative dispute resolution service. Visit crdsc-sdrcc.ca for more information about the SDRCC.

The SDRCC was also mandated by the Government of Canada, on July 6, 2021, to establish an independent safe sport mechanism to implement and administer the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) at the national level:

• The Abuse-Free Sport program offers a wide range of solutions to help the Canadian sport system offer sport environments that are free from abuse, harassment and discrimination. Visit abuse-free-sport.ca for more information.
• The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, currently a division of the SDRCC, is responsible for the management of complaints using trauma-informed processes that are compassionate, efficient and provide fairness, respect and equity to all parties involved. Visit sportintegritycommisioner.ca for more information.

On December 11, 2023, Minister Qualtrough signaled the intention that these programs would transition out of SDRCC. Until that transition is complete, the SDRCC remains responsible.

SDRCC Board of Directors

The SDRCC Board of Directors is comprised of 12 Directors.

General duties and tasks of Board members are:

• Provide strategic oversight on the operations of the SDRCC;
• Review draft material prepared by SDRCC staff;
• Prepare for and attend committee and Board meetings, Board retreat and the Arbitrator-Mediator Conference;
• Participate in SDRCC initiatives as may be required from time to time;
• Be familiar with the SDRCC Code, documents, jurisprudence and processes;
• Acquire knowledge about the Canadian sport system, the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS), Sport Canada, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and its Canadian Anti-Doping Program, a working knowledge of and familiarity with the general structure and operations of National Sport Organizations (NSOs) and National Multisport Services Organizations (MSOs) in Canada;
• Promote the SDRCC and its services where relevant and act as a representative when designated from time to time by a Board Committee, the Chairperson of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer;
• Draft documents/letters for the SDRCC; and
• Assist in the implementation of processes to support and/or streamline the activities and work of the SDRCC.

Key areas of competencies

• Experience in alternative dispute resolution and/or trauma informed practices
• Knowledge and experience with the Canadian sport system
• Previous governance experience in other sport organizations
• Ability to communicate in both official languages
• Experience with and knowledge of federal government, and in particular, the sport funding framework
• Understanding of issues in amateur sport in Canada
• Law degree or legal background would be considered an asset
• Ability to work within a team
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Time and energy to commit to the Centre

Selection Criteria

Directors shall be selected to collectively reflect:

• Canada’s regional and cultural diversity, linguistic duality, and the broad diversity in Canadian sport;
• significant knowledge of the Canadian sport system and the nature of disputes which may arise;
• expertise in alternate dispute resolution and the maintenance of an alternative dispute resolution system; and
• experience working in a volunteer setting.

In addition, Directors shall be selected to ensure that:

• a minimum of 3 of the 12 Directors shall be athletes, either active or retired within the past 8 years (please note that the SDRCC is specifically seeking an athlete representative to fill the vacancy on its Board);
• 1 of the Directors shall be a coach, either active or recently retired within the past 8 years;
• 1 of the Directors shall be a current National Sport Organization Board member or administrator;
• 1 of the Directors shall be a current Major Games Organization Board member or administrator; and
• No more than 8 of the 12 Directors shall be of the same gender.

Eligibility factors and conditions of appointment

In their application, candidates must clearly demonstrate that they meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old, have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada, have not declared bankruptcy and be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.

Successful candidates must commit to:

• dedicate an average of 1 hour per week on SDRCC business; and
• participate in Board meetings (4 to 6 annually), in committee meetings (6 to 8 annually) and an annual retreat. The majority of these meetings are done via conference call.

Official languages and diversity

The Government of Canada will consider bilingual proficiency and diversity in assessing candidates for these positions. Candidates are therefore encouraged to include in their application their ability to speak and understand their second official language. Preference may be given to candidates who are members of one or more of the following groups: women, Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, and persons with a disability. Candidates can voluntarily indicate, in their cover letter, if they are a member of one or more of the groups identified above. It is not mandatory to provide this information, which will be kept for statistical purposes.

The government is committed to ensuring that its nominations for potential appointments take into consideration the desire to achieve gender parity and reflect Canada’s diversity, in terms of linguistic, regional and employment equity representation.

Compensation

No Director shall receive an honorarium or other remuneration from the SDRCC. However, reasonable expenses incurred by such Director in the performance of their duties may be reimbursed, including costs and expenses related to attending meetings of the Board.

How to apply

Candidates who wish to apply should provide:

1. A cover letter to the attention of the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, outlining their skills and experience while bearing in mind the selection criteria and key areas of competency noted above;
2. A curriculum vitae;
3. A current letter of reference that confirms the candidate’s cover letter statements.

All applications must be received by Sport Canada no later than midnight (Pacific time) on May 2, 2024. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the application is received. Applications received after the deadline will not be submitted for consideration.

Cover letter, curriculum vitae and letter of reference must be sent in confidence to:

By email: sportcanada@pch.gc.ca

Remarks

Information sent by email is not protected. Please ensure sensitive personal information, such as your Social Insurance Number and birthdate are not included in your application.

Documents received after the deadline will not be accepted. All documents may be submitted in either French or English.

Results of the selection process will be sent to all candidates at the email address provided on their application.

Privacy Notice Statement

The personal information you provide on this application is collected for nominations for potential ministerial appointment purposes. This information may also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates and for statistical reporting on diversity and employment equity. The information is collected under the authority of paragraph 4(2)(d) of the Department of Canadian Heritage Act and uses of this personal information is described in Standard Personal Information Bank PSU 919 - Members of Boards, Committees and Councils.

Your personal information is protected under the provisions of the federal Privacy Act. Under this Act, you have the right to access your personal information and request changes to incorrect information. If you wish to avail yourself of this right or require clarification about this Privacy Notice Statement, contact by email the Director of Access to Information and Privacy, Canadian Heritage. For further details on requests for access or correction, please consult the Info Source publication.