“Canadians expect and deserve a sport system that is safe, inclusive and welcoming
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Summary
Learn English with Honourable Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, Shelly Saviello, delivers a speech on the need for a safe and inclusive sport in Canada. Minister Savielly also announces a new independent mechanism to review the Canadian Sports System, and the creation of a Future of Sport in Canada Commission to address concerns raised by survivors of abuse in sport.
Transcript
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I also acknowledge, on behalf of the Government of Canada, athletes and other sport participants
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who have been harmed, abused or mistreated in the Canadian sports system, particularly
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those who were maltreated as children. I'm sorry this happened to you. The sports system
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did not protect you or hold to account those who hurt you.
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As Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, I am committed to ensuring you are supported
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and that meaningful and impactful changes are made to the sport system.
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To the survivors who have come forward so that we can learn, better protect our children
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and improve our systems and processes, I admire your courage. Thank you for helping us get
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to today. Our sport system needs to be grounded in human rights, with human rights protection
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reflected in how sport operates and how it's governed. We need to embed accountability,
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integrity and safe sport into everything we do. We have to talk about racism, misogyny,
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homophobia and transphobia. We have to talk about the negative, inappropriate and dangerous
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behaviour that's been normalised and even perpetuated by sport culture that is toxic and makes sport
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unsafe. We have to talk about roles and responsibilities. Parents, athletes, officials,
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administrators, volunteers, coaches and fans, we all have a role to play. Our government is committed
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to ensuring that all athletes and sport participants have a safe and positive experience in sport.
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So to that end, I'm announcing a formal independent mechanism to review the Canadian sports system.
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I'm also announcing some immediate actions to address concerns raised by survivors and highlighted
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through the parliamentary committee processes. First, we are creating an independent,
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impartial Future of Sport in Canada Commission. Over 18 months, the Commission will provide a forum
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to bring to light lived survivor experiences, support healing and engage broadly on how to improve
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the sport system in Canada. The Commission will be trauma informed, survivor centred and human rights
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based. The Commission will report its findings publicly and it will make recommendations in two
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specific areas. First, actions that can be taken to improve safe sport in Canada, including trauma
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informed approaches to support athletes in the disclosure of and healing from abuse in sport.
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Second, actions that can be taken to improve the sport system in Canada,
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writ large, including issues related to policy, funding, structures, governance, reporting,
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accountability, conflicts of interest, system alignment, culture and legal considerations.
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Following engagement and a preliminary public report, the Commission will hold a national summit,
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where participants can deliberate on the Commission's initial findings and recommendations to inform its
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final recommendations. The Commission will be made up of three individuals. Leading the Commission
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will be an independent legal expert appointed as Commissioner. This individual will be both
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independent from government and independent from the sport system. The Commissioner will be supported
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by two special advisors, one with lived experience or expertise in victims rights, child protection and
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trauma informed processes, the other with expertise and experience in sport. The terms of reference for
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the Commission are being released with this announcement and details with respect to the composition of the
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Commission will be announced early in the new year.
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The starting point for the Commission will be a recognition that bad things have happened and continue
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to happen in Canadian sport. Survivors will not need to prove they have experienced harm. We know you have.
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We believe you and we support you. Your experiences will inform recommendations for the future of sport,
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better and safer sport in Canada. While the Commission undertakes its work independently,
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I will move forward with some immediate actions to address maltreatment in sport. To ensure greater
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independence, we will begin to transition the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner and the Abuse-Free
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Sport Program out of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada. To bolster the voice and input of
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athletes across the sport system, we will increase the organizational capacity of athletes CAN,
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the voice of Canada's national team athletes. We will elevate the previously announced Sport Canada
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Athlete Advisory Committee to a Ministerial Advisory Committee. On January 10th, we will reopen for four
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weeks the call for athletes to participate on the advisory committee. We will take steps to modernize
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Sport Canada's funding framework and address policy gaps in safe sport. This will include a new
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integrated funding model with strengthened accountability measures and more streamlined risk-based
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compliance. We will develop a sport integrity framework for Canada. This will consolidate existing
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integrity policy and include new policies to be developed around safeguarding children and match
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manipulation. Finally, recognizing that safe sport is an international issue, I am initiating an
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international work group on integrity in sport. Canadians deserve a sport system that reflects and celebrates our
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values of equality, fairness and inclusion. Canadians deserve a sport system that is safe,
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responsible and accountable. That's the sport I want for my kids and for yours.