Readings: Bercovitz, A critical analysis of Canadas Active Living: science or Politics, Critical Public Health, (2002), 19-39. Canada, The Physical Activity.

Readings:Bercovitz, ‘A critical analysis of Canada’s “Active Living”: science or Politics,’ Critical Public Health, (2002), 19-39.Canada, The Physical Activity and Sport Act, 2003.Kidd, ‘Canada’, in Wilson and Derse (Eds.), Doping in Elite Sport, 2001.

The ethical turn and the Physical Activity and Sport Act 2003

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The crisis of the 1980s: BJ, Dubin and the crisis of values

Ben Johnson, an exemplar of the Canadian Sport System expelled for steroids in Seoul

Government immediately appointed a Royal Commission under Ontario Chief Justice Charles Dubin to investigate

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The critique of the status quo

Dubin heard: A strong critique of the ‘ideology of excellence’ A strong plea for athletes’ rights A strong appeal for a much more equitable and

accessible sport system

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The outcome: ‘value-based sport’

Strengthened emphasis upon values: ‘the athletes who march behind the flag should uphold the values of that flag’.

Creation of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and strict anti-doping protocol

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The ‘athlete centered system’

A broader, more health and educationally focused goal for training and competition

Strengthened voice and vote for athletes, through Athletes CAN; today virtually every NSO/MSO has a position for an elected athlete representative on its board

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A renewed commitment to equity

Gender equity and anti-harassment policies; new protections for athletes

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Questions:

How well were the post-Dubin reforms implemented?

To what extent does Canadian sport actually ‘walk the talk’ with respect to the values articulated by the post-Dubin reforms?

What would be useful performance measures?

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The crisis of the 1990s: ‘running on fumes’

The system began to unravel after 1996: Huge cutbacks to Sport Canada, ParticipACTION

Canada, and many provincial and municipal programs, reduced opportunities at all levels

Canadian Sport and Recreation Centre disbanded Participation in sport and sports leadership declined Weariness with bidding for international games as

strategy of domestic sport development Note: important exceptions in Alberta and Quebec

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By 2001 Disappointing Sydney results Alarming trends in participation:

Adult participation in sport fell from 45% in 1992 to 34% in 1998. Participation in physical activity leveled off at about 38% of the

population. Children 40% less active than 30 years earlier. Prevalence of overweight children grew among boys from 15% in

1981 to 35.4% in 1996 and among girls from 15% to 29.2%. Canada’s Olympic teams drawn from a narrower, upper-class base

than 30 years earlier. Yet public opinion polling indicated that support for

physical education and sport was at record highs. Toronto’s bid for 2008 Olympics unsuccessful

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In response, a new effort to revitalize public policy

Initiated by charismatic Secretary of State for Amateur Sport (Denis Coderre) with ambition to become PM

Astute, experienced, committed Quebec-based sports leaders

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Coderre’s hopes for new national legislation

Reunite responsibility for sport and fitness Increase funding Elevate sport and fitness portfolio in the

government’s agenda Harmonize Canadian anti-doping with WADA Address participants’ rights through ADR Protect Canada Games through mandated

obligations

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The outcomes

1. The Canadian Sport Policy, an agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments, signed April 6, 2002, with a subsequent Federal-Provincial/Territorial Priorities for Collaborative Action 2002–2005, to jointly realize the following goals by 2012:

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Enhanced participation

A significantly higher proportion of Canadians from all segments of society are involved in quality sport activities at all levels and in all forms of participation

A major priority to be given to the revitalization of physical education in the public school system.

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Enhanced excellence

The pool of talented athletes has expanded and Canadian athletes and teams are systematically achieving world-class results at the highest levels of international competition through fair and ethical means

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Enhanced capacity

The essential components of an ethically-based, athlete/participant-centered development system are in place and are continually modernized and strengthened as required

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Enhanced interaction

The components of the sport system are more connected and coordinated as a result of the committed collaboration and communication amongst the stakeholders

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The outcomes

2. Bill C-12 The Physical Activity and Sport Act (introduced and steered through Parliament by Coderre’s successor, Paul DeVillers), proclaimed on March 19, 2003.

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Bill C-12

Changed the nomenclature from ‘Fitness and Amateur Sport’ to ‘Physical Activity and Sport’

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Bill C-12

Revised objectives re physical activity: Promote physical activity as a fundamental

element of health and well-being Encourage all Canadians to improve health by

integrating PA into their daily lives Assist in reducing barriers that prevent them from

being active

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Bill C-12

Revised objectives re sport To increase participation and to support the pursuit

of excellence To build capacity

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Bill C-12

Inserted a strong statement of values: The Government of Canada’s policy is founded on

the highest ethical standards and values, including doping-free sport, the treatment of all persons with fairness and respect, the full and fair participation of all persons in sport and the fair, equitable, transparent and timely resolution of disputes.

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Bill C-12

Created Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada: Non-profit NGO, with board appointed by the

minister upon advice of sport community ADR for appeals and disputes Panel of independent, sport-knowledgeable

arbitrators/mediators Resource centre for policies, procedures www.adrsportred.ca

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The outcomes

3. New funding to sport: E.g. in 2005-2006, Sport Canada budget was

$140M, the highest ever Harper Government has promised much more—

1% of health budget or $435M

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Yet Responsibilities for sport and fitness remain under

different ministries Increased funding still leaves Canada behind

traditional competitors Little new money for broadly based physical activity:

$140M to sport while PA gets $5M Little new money for capital construction (capacity) Government did not include the gender equity

provision amendment recommended by CAAWS; instead, DeVillers promised to establish a new accountability mechanism within Sport Canada

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The outcomes

4. National Advisory Council met for a year, completed a comprehensive report, then thanked and disbanded

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Questions:

Is ‘half a loaf’ better than none? What would constitute an ‘excellent’ national

sports policy and an ‘excellent national sport act? What is missing?

What are the best examples of sport legislation elsewhere?

Faculty of Physical Education and HealthUniversity of Toronto

The Canadian context

To what extent have Canadians’ concern about the future of medicare

(compulsory insurance for medical and hospital treatment of disease)

The much greater popularity of professional sport The neo-liberal attack on the public sector

weakened the lobby for public programs in sports?

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Vancouver 2010

To what extent will the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games stimulate/distort the realization of the Canadian Sports Policy?

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The international context

To what extent has the accelerating Americanization and commercialization of Canadian culture undermined the case for publicly supported sports?

How have the FTA, NAFTA, and the WTO weakened the ability of Canadian governments to intervene in sports?

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The importance of intervention

Scholars and students played a role throughout the process, as researchers and advocates.

Whatever the outcome, it will be important for scholars and activists to insert themselves into the ongoing development of federal legislation and its implementation, studying the implications, holding/attending public meetings to discuss it, and meeting with elected federal representatives to express their views.