Questions and Answers – Sport

Theme 1 – Safe Sport

Q1 - Why has the government not put in place an independent national public inquiry in sport?

A1 – There is still much more work to do to advance safe sport in Canada. Canadians can expect that the Commission will engage and seek input from the sport community, including survivors and victims of maltreatment in sport. The Commission will deliver recommendations to me on how to create safe sport environments and improve the sport system.

I believe the mechanism we have chosen is better suited for what we are trying to achieve. With this approach, the key areas of focus could be more broadly scoped and adjusted as needed in response to operational realities and feedback from participants, especially victims and survivors. The approach would provide more flexibility than a public inquiry, and still signal the Government’s support and the importance of the issue.

Furthermore, the approach allows provinces and territories to participate on a flexible and asymmetrical basis, given that sport is an activity of shared jurisdiction with the Provinces and Territories.

The Commission should also provide victims and survivors a forum to bring to light the experiences, causes, and impacts of maltreatment in sport, and support their healing.

The Commission should be victim- and survivor-centered and trauma- and violence-informed. It should be grounded in a human rights approach and will be intersectional, inclusive, and accessible. In addition, the Commission is expected to be independent, transparent, and flexible. The Commission will perform its duties without undue influence, including from the federal government, about the conclusions to be reached or the recommendations to be made.

Q2 - The Committee has heard of a much-needed culture change in sport and you have indicated you have made safe sport your priority. What is the government doing to bring about this culture change?

A2 – I firmly believe that our sport system needs to be grounded in human rights; with human rights protection reflected in the governance and operation of sport. We need to embed accountability, integrity, and safe sport into everything we do.

We are now moving forward with a Future of Sport Commission, with a mandate to consider the necessary broad changes required to the sport sector to create safe and welcoming environments for all Canadians.

A culture-shift cannot happen in a vacuum. Implementing the Commission will allow for necessary engagement and input from the sport community, survivors and victims of maltreatment, academics, and experts. Based on this engagement, the Commission will develop recommendations to the Government of Canada. These recommendations will form a road map towards the necessary culture change.

Yesterday I announced the following additional actions to address maltreatment in the sport system:

Improving Canada’s independent third-party mechanism

To ensure greater independence, the Government of Canada will begin to transition the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner and the Abuse-Free Sport Program out of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada.

Athletes at the centre of decision-making

To ensure that athletes are at the centre of decision making, the previously announced Sport Canada Athlete Advisory Committee will be elevated to a Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee.

As the voice of Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centred sport system that includes the input of athletes from across the sport system. The Government of Canada highly values the perspectives of AthletesCAN and will continue to strengthen its capacity to ensure athletes’ voices are at the heart of decision-making structures.

Greater accountability

Going forward, accountability will be integrated into all aspects of funding to national and multi-sport organizations through a new approach to funding. A modernized funding framework will include strengthened accountability measures and more streamlined, risk-based compliance.

Sport Integrity Framework

The Government of Canada will develop a Sport Integrity Framework for Canada, which will consolidate all sport integrity policy and make it easily accessible for athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and parents. Within this framework, the Government of Canada will develop new policies on safeguarding, specifically safeguarding children.

International leadership on safe sport and human rights

As safe sport issues continue emerging around the world, Canada is engaging with international partners on how to collectively advance safeguarding through human rights in sport. I will create an International Workgroup on Integrity in Sport to continue to work together to share best practices and lessons learned on human rights protection in sport.

Previously announced reforms:

National Sport Organizations (NSO) are now required to fully adopt the Canadian Sport Governance Code by April 2025. Good governance is the foundation to culture change and creating a safe sport system. It’s about how decisions are made, how organizations govern themselves and what is put in place to ensure a safe sport system for our children, athletes, coaches and officials.
Sport Canada has established the new Compliance and Accountability Division responsible for establishing new expectations and enhanced monitoring and compliance of contribution agreements between Sport Canada and funded organizations. This includes mandatory implementation of good governance practices by April 2025.
Language banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) from a revised Athlete Agreement, developed by AthletesCAN, will be integrated for all NSOs.
NSOs will be required to have an athlete representative on their board of directors and a Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee will be established.
Robust, consistent, and system-wide promotion of tools and resources regarding harassment, abuse and discrimination.
Working with the Coaching Association of Canada to ensure appropriate screening and certifications for coaches.
The Abuse-Free Sport program will establish a public registry of individuals who have been sanctioned.
The Board of Directors nomination process for the SDRCC is revised to ensure continued independence for the Abuse-Free Sport program.
All NSOs must be Program Signatory to the Abuse-Free Sport program to receive funding from the Government of Canada.

These combined measures demonstrate this Government’s commitment and consistent efforts to foster culture change in the sector.

Q3 - Parents are concerned about their children’s safety and well-being in sport. Reported instances of maltreatment and a toxic culture in sport may serve as a deterrent to enrollment. How does the government expect to increase participation in this context?

A3 –Changing the culture of sport is a collective responsibility, and the Government remains committed to ensure safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for everyone.

Yesterday I announced an independent and forward-looking review of the sport system in Canada, in particular systemic causes of abuse and maltreatment in sport. This process will be trauma-informed, human rights-based, and forward-looking.

The government is committed to preventing and addressing maltreatment in sport. Among other measures, the Government of Canada will develop a Sport Integrity Framework for Canada, which will consolidate all sport integrity policy and make it easily accessible for athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and parents. Within this framework, the Government of Canada will develop new policies on safeguarding, specifically safeguarding children.

Q4 – You’ve talked about increasing athletes’ role in shaping Canada’s sport system and have made statements promoting an upcoming athlete advisory committee. When can this committee be expected to take shape and start its work?

A4 – As a former athlete, having a direct opportunity to engage with athletes and learn from their lived experience will only make program and policy decisions stronger for us all.

With the Committee, I will identify opportunities to incorporate athletes’ perspectives in the development and implementation of Government of Canada programs and policies in sport and physical activity.

National team athletes who are interested in joining the Committee will be able to submit their applications in January through an open call.

Theme 2 – Compliance and Accountability

Q1 – Why has nothing been done about the Hockey Canada scandal? Why have the players involved not yet been held accountable? What are you doing to make sure this doesn’t happen again?

A1 – Let me be clear: the disturbing events that came to light through the Hockey Canada scandal are completely unacceptable to me, to this Government and to Canadians. In response, my priority is to support and advocate for the victims and survivors of maltreatment throughout the sport system.

In light of what happened with Hockey Canada and issues identified with other National Sport Organizations, Sport Canada has enhanced its monitoring of National Sport Organizations (NSO) to further focus on governance and safe sport.

For example, Sport Canada has increased NSO accountability in the way they govern themselves and make sound decisions. This includes mandatory implementation of good governance practices and ensuring they are signatories of the Abuse-Free Sport program, which includes the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC).

In addition, with funding under Budget 2023, Sport Canada has established the new Compliance and Accountability Division. It is responsible for establishing new expectations, and enhanced monitoring and compliance of contribution agreements between Sport Canada and funded organizations.

In the past year, Sport Canada has suspended the funding of several national sport organizations. Organizations were required to take a variety of corrective actions before funding was restored. These ranged from external reviews or oversight to leadership and governance changes. The Government will continue to hold these organizations to account.

Only if pressed:

As for Hockey Canada specifically, this organization was sanctioned through its federal funding from Sport Canada suspended in June 2022. Hockey Canada needed to bring about corrective measures in order for its funding to be re-instated.

In March 2023, Sport Canada confirmed that Hockey Canada had met all three conditions imposed and reinstated federal funding to Hockey Canada with additional payment monitoring conditions:

That Hockey Canada continue to proactively update Sport Canada on the progress and work on culture change being undertaken by the new Board of Directors.
That Hockey Canada continue to implement the recommendations of the Cromwell Report and the Henein & Hutchinson report.
That Hockey Canada promote the Abuse-Free Sport program, including the services of OSIC, to its athletes and participants.
That Hockey Canada continue to work proactively with its member organizations to support their onboarding to the Abuse-Free Sport program, including the services of the OSIC.

As for the sanctions against members, such as suspensions or bans, those are left up to the sport organization itself to determine which actions are warranted.

Q2 - Why are complaints made to the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) deemed inadmissible?

A2 – Establishing the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) was a significant step in the right direction for sport in Canada. As with all new organizations, there are growing pains and opportunities for improvement.

There was a sizeable portion of complaints made to the OSIC which were, for various reasons, deemed inadmissible. However, now that all National Sport Organizations are signatories to the Abuse Free Sport program, more individuals will have an independent place to go if they experience maltreatment, making more cases admissible. When complaints are inadmissible, the OSIC aims to accompany the person who came forward in identifying alternative services that may be available to them.

The Office has a set of criteria, including jurisdiction, to determine which complaints are admissible. In the reports concerning its first year of operation, the OSIC did indeed deem a significant number of complaints as inadmissible. This occurred when:

The organization listed was not a signatory of Abuse-Free Sport
The organization listed was a signatory, but the respondent was not a participant under the authority of a signatory.
The matter was unrelated to the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport; or
The complaint contained inadequate information to proceed and there was no method of contacting the reporter to obtain the necessary information.

The Government of Canada is continually working to improve protections for all athletes and participants.

Q3 - What are you doing about (perceived) conflicts of interest at the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) and OSIC?

A3 – Let’s remember that the OSIC is a new organization. It opened its doors in June 2022. Since then, it has onboarded all National Sport Organizations and is in discussions with some Provincial and Territorial governments and multisport organizations to expand its services. This was a big moment for sport in Canada and something that the community had called on the Government to establish.

The Government has heard the concerns about the independence of the SDRCC and the Abuse-Free Sport Program, including the services of the OSIC. To address this concern, a review of the current merit-based process for recruiting, nominating and appointing members to the SDRCC’s Board of Directors is underway.

I would like to emphasize that the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner is still available to national-level sport participants who experience or witness maltreatment; and that my expectations for national-level sport organizations remain the same.

Theme 3 – Sport system funding

Q1 - The sport system is underfunded, yet the sport sector is expected to do more. There has been no material increase in the Sport Support Program since 2003 and inflation has reduced its relative funding power. What will the government do to ensure sport organizations are able to deliver the sport system Canadians deserve?

A1 – As the main funder of amateur sport in Canada and starting with Budget 2019, the Government of Canada has temporarily increased funding of sport organizations by up to $134 million over 5 years to meet their needs and to advance specific priorities.

The Government is able to champion Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility; increase participation and reduce barriers to sport; and make sport safer for all.

For example:

Support to federally funded sport organizations to address safe sport issues, including concussion and anti-doping related initiatives.
Launch of the Community Sport for All Initiative to reduce barriers and provide opportunities for participation in grassroots sport, particularly for youth and equity deserving populations.
Establish a formal and independent mechanism to manage complaints under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport.
Support federally funded sport organizations to advance gender equity and support greater diversity and inclusion at all levels of sport in Canada.

The Government of Canada will continue to listen to its sport partners and look for ways to improve programming and services offered to Canadians.

Theme 4 – Inclusion and participation

Q1 - There has been a noticeable drop in sport participation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the government doing to get Canadians back into active lifestyles and to participate in sports once again?

A1 - The Government is aware of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the toll they have had on all aspects of Canadians’ lives. The Government provided emergency support to multiple sectors of the economy to ensure businesses and organizations were able to remain financially viable in spite of the drastic loss of revenue due to public health measures.

The sport sector was heavily impacted by the cancellation of tournaments and competitions. Organizations relied on these events for revenue. The suspension or limitation of programs also greatly reduced revenue from enrolment fees.

The Government of Canada provided vital support to the sport sector:

In 2021-22, $6 million was provided to support additional travel costs incurred by Canadian athletes, coaches and officials to respect public health guidelines.
In 2022-23, $17 million was provided to help organizations host events which would have otherwise been cancelled due to significant increases in cost and reduced revenue.
In 2021-22 and 2022-23, $60 million was provided over those 2 years to offer financial relief to 59 National Sport Organizations, 14 Multisport Service Organizations and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network and to assist in restoring programming and services following COVID-19.

This funding supported emergency support to the sport sector, assisted in the recovery, and prepared for the restart of activities once the pandemic measures were eased and lifted. In great part due to this funding, all pre-existing sport organizations remained functioning and were able to restart their activities in ways which respected public health concerns.

The funding has also helped sport organizations to “build back better”. This means implementing return-to-play strategies and programs that consider public health needs and provide safe and welcoming environments to all Canadians. The Government continues to work with sport organizations to remove barriers to participation and grow participation rates beyond the pre-pandemic levels.

Q2 - Many members of society feel excluded from sport on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Lately we’ve seen an increase in concern around gender identity, trans peoples’ right to participate, and issues of competitive advantage for trans women. How will the government address these issues and ensure competitive fairness and safety while also providing opportunity for all to participate?

A2 – Governments have a duty to promote and protect human rights in sport – to meet domestic and international human rights obligations. Discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression is never acceptable. And as I mentioned yesterday, we must talk about racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia in sport.

The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the human rights of all Canadians, and this includes two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexuality and gender-diverse people. On August 28, 2022 the Government of Canada launched its 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan to advance rights and promote equality of these groups.

Sport has the power to create positive change, and driving this change forward goes hand-in-hand with Sport Canada’s mission to enhance opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel in sport, including trans athletes. Sport can help change attitudes and break down barriers, whether these are barriers to sport participation or to being accepted in the sport community.

Sport Canada continues to support research, and to monitor emerging data and international best practices to support the inclusion of trans people in sport.

If pressed:

The overarching policy question for the Government of Canada is how to support trans-gender athletes’ self-affirmation while preserving sport integrity and protecting the rights of female athletes to fairness and safety. A nuanced approach is required.

This is a difficult debate, one whose solutions need to be framed objectively and respectfully, grounded in human rights and the latest evidence, in consultation with experts in diverse fields, and informed by the voices of all those impacted.

The Government fully supports efforts towards diversity and inclusion in Canadian sport. However, considerations for recreational sport participation may differ from those of competitive and high-performance sports. It’s important to consider where a conflict of rights may arise. One’s desire to participate in a category matching their gender identity may impact another’s right to fair and safe competition.

As such, National Sport Organizations are encouraged to develop innovative, evidence-based solutions that afford respect to trans athletes, while preserving fairness and safety for all while respecting the policies and standards of their international federation.

Q3 - In the spirit of reconciliation and the government’s efforts on bridging the gap between the socio-economic well-being of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples and communities, what is the government doing to increase meaningful participation in sport for Indigenous Peoples?

A3 – The relationship between the Government of Canada and Indigenous Peoples is very important. Through Sport Canada, the Government has provided additional opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and their communities to participate in meaningful and culturally relevant sport and recreation activities.

Current examples include:

The Renewal of Indigenous Youth & Sport supplement for the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Bilateral agreements and support to the Aboriginal Sport Circle.
Through Sport Canada’s Hosting Program, funding for the hosting of the North American Indigenous Games (delivered every four years), for the hosting of the Arctic Winter Games when hosted in Canada (on a rotational basis), and for participant travel when hosted outside of Canada.
Funding of $11.4 million annually for the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program. It supports diverse Indigenous communities across Canada by funding Indigenous nations and organizations who deliver sport and recreation opportunities within the communities they serve.
Co-chairing the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Indigenous Sport Development. This includes work on various Indigenous-led priorities such as the development of a sustainable strategy to promote the participation of Indigenous athletes, coaches, and officials in the Canada Games across all sports.

The Government of Canada remains committed to the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice.

The government is committed to supporting Indigenous communities across the country in their efforts to become stronger and healthier. The transformative power of sport plays an important role in achieving this goal.

Q4 - Many people face a number of obstacles that prevent them from benefitting from positive sport experiences. What is the government doing to make sport more accessible and affordable to Canadians?

A4 – Different segments of the population face different challenges accessing sport programs. Through initiatives such as Community Sport for All and direct funding for Gender Equity and Equity Diversity and Inclusion, the Government is helping to establish a sport system which is welcoming to, and addresses the needs of, all Canadians.

In addition, the Government recognizes that not all Canadian families are able to afford sport programs. To support Canadian families, Sport Canada provides funding to organizations which offset enrolment and equipment costs for families in financial need. For example, in 2022-23, Sport Canada provided $8 million to Canadian Tire Jumpstart and $4.6 million to Kidsport Canada.

Theme 5 – Renewal of the Canadian sport policy

Q1 - The current Canadian Sport Policy covers 2012 to 2022. When will the government endorse a renewed Canadian Sport Policy?

A1 – Sport is a shared responsibility between Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments. The Federal Government is working with its partners to develop the Canadian Sport Policy (CSP) which provides the basis for intergovernmental collaboration in sport, physical activity, and recreation.

Part of the delay in renewing the Policy stems from COVID-19. The pandemic forced partners to account for new considerations in the development of the Policy, namely:

concerns around the immediate need to respond to the pandemic,
the desire for a consumer-driven market approach to programming and
delivery, and alignment of the CSP with other sector policies.

These additional considerations all required extensive consultation across Canada. There was a tremendous response rate and engagement of Canadians during the consultation phase. This provided a clear picture of the priorities of Canadians for the future of sport, and the direction they wished for the CSP. The What We Heard Report, which is posted online, provides a summary of this feedback.

In light of this, Ministers have extended the renewal timeframe and are committed to endorsing the Canadian Sport Policy in early 2024.

Theme 6 – Ethics and integrity

Q1 - With more and more opportunities for sport betting and the potential impacts on the integrity of sport, how will you guard against the dangers of competition manipulation (match-fixing)?

A1 - Competition manipulation, or match fixing, is often linked to illegal gambling. It is a challenge that crosses sectors and jurisdictions. The risk that it poses to the integrity of sport has increased over time with the growing interest in sport betting internationally and in Canada.

Preventing and addressing competition manipulation in Canada will require a comprehensive and collaborative approach.

Changes to the Criminal Code in 2021 made an exception for provincial and territorial governments to allow for single sport betting. Since then, advertising for online gambling and sport betting has increased exponentially.

In June 2023, Senator Marty Deacon introduced Bill S-269, calling for the creation of a national framework to regulate sport betting advertising.

The proposed bill would call for limitations on how, where, and when betting could be advertised to Canadians. I look forward to the outcomes of the debates surrounding the bill.

Additionally, the Government is committed to collaborating with the national sport community, provincial and territorial partners, and other stakeholders, to address the prevalence and promotion of illegal sport betting in Canada. The Government is also committed to working together to identify measures that will address and prevent competition manipulation in our country.

Q2 - With the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee currently reconsidering their sanctions against Russia/Belarus in regard to the Ukraine invasion, what is Canada’s position on the issue?

A2 – Canada has been resolute in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine and its people alongside our allies.

The Government of Canada has taken several actions in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, including economic sanctions to hold accountable those responsible for Russia’s aggression.

It has been the position of the Government of Canada that athletes from Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to participate in international sport competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, until the invasion of Ukraine has ended.

The Government has encouraged all federally funded sport organizations to use the tools at their disposal to exclude from all competition in Canada all athletes, teams and support personnel selected by Russia and Belarus to represent the Russian or Belarusian state.

The Government of Canada has joined our allies in signing several international statements calling to restrict the involvement of Russia and Belarus in international sport and will continue to voice this position to international sport bodies at every opportunity.

Q3 - Will Canada continue to support WADA’s position on anti-doping sanctions against the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)?

A3 – The Government of Canada is proud to host the WADA Headquarters in Montreal, and this since 2001.

Canada is a leader in the fight against doping and strongly supports the World Anti-Doping Code and WADA decisions in determining signatories’ compliance.

Therefore, the government continues to support WADA’s decisions and in particular in regards to the non-compliance of the RUSADA.

Theme 7 – Green sport

Q1 - There are growing environmental concerns in sport, which can range from waste reduction/management to environmental impacts from sport facilities and other infrastructure. What is the Government doing to reduce the sport sector’s environmental footprint in the fight against climate change?

A1 – The sport sector has the potential to be a player in the fight against climate change. It is key to identify opportunities and implement concrete measures that will lead to tangible results.

One such example was modifying parameters of funding agreements with federally funded sport organizations to add carbon offsets as an eligible expense. This one concrete change allowed the Canada Games Council to reduce the environmental impact of participant travel through the purchase of carbon offsets from Ostrom Climate’s Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. The 2022 Canada Games held in Niagara earned the Climate Friendly Flights designation, while the 2023 Canada Games in PEI earned the carbon neutral designation.

In addition to these concrete steps, roundtables on greening the sport sector, in the context of the Canadian Sport Policy renewal, and research on this issue will help inform the Government to identify and prioritize potential actions to reduce the sector’s environmental footprint.

Q2 - With unpredictable and more volatile weather patterns and the prevalence of wildfires, is the government developing climate adaptation strategies to reduce the impact of climate change on susceptible sports?

A2 – Climate change is impacting sport at every level in a variety of ways. Extreme weather directly impacts the viability of both international and local sporting events and venues. Young athletes miss events over climate considerations. In addition, some sports, such as surfing or skiing, are in danger entirely, as climate impacts the natural conditions needed for the sustainability of their sport.

The Tokyo games were the hottest on record impacting the ability of athletes to compete. This past year, wildfires across Canada impacted numerous communities, including the cancellations of sporting events due to poor air quality.

Athletes have indicated that they want to be ambassadors for change – they are concerned about the impact of climate change on the sustainability of sports. Canadians said in broad consultations that the sustainability of the sport system and participant health will require building resiliency to environmental challenges and change. This will require collaboration to identify opportunities and implement concrete measures that will lead to tangible results.

Theme 8 – FIFA 2026

Q1 – In 2018, Canada committed to support the hosting of FIFA 2026. Delivering events of this magnitude is quite expensive. How will Canadians benefit from the required government investment?

A1 - Soccer is Canada’s highest participation team sport and has seen a significant increase in registration amongst players, coaches, and referees across Canada following the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do Canadians play the game, but they support it as fans and as communities. During FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, over 24 million Canadians watched at least part of the tournament.

What’s on the field is an incredible soccer tournament, but what Canada can do off the field is so much more.

Investing in FIFA 2026 is not just investing in soccer matches. It’s an investment which shines a bright spotlight on Canada as a sporting nation and tourism destination. It will provide a boost to the national GDP and support economic activity across the country.

The Government of Canada has a unique opportunity to capitalize on co-hosting this event with the United States and Mexico, to showcase Canada as a stable, multicultural, inclusive, and welcoming country.

Major sport events like the World Cup do require significant government investments.

When done right, major sport events are an unequivocal opportunity to realize significant economic, social and cultural returns for Canadians. These benefits can also extend beyond the event and leave lasting legacies for Canadians. Canada has proven this in the past with the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver and the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games in Toronto.

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2024-04-10

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