Federal Minister of Science and Sport Kirsty Duncan has announced several new initiatives to further safe sport in Canada. These include new funding for the Sport Resolution Center of Canada to launch a third-party independent investigation unit that national sports organization, multi-sport service organizations and Canadian sport centres can call to investigate alleged incidents of abuse, discrimination and harassment, a new national toll-free confidential helpline for harassment, abuse and discrimination and sport, and funding for the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. (Anyway we can break this up?)
The announcement, made at UBC Robson Square following several across the country this week, furthers Duncan’s continued efforts towards gender equity and safe sport in Canada over the last year. It also builds on the recent Red Deer Declaration, which is supported by the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments to push towards the elimination of abuse, discrimination and harassment in sport.
“We are putting out athletes and children in sport first from the playground to the podium by increasing access to sport for girls and women and creating a safe space for victims and witnesses of harassment, abuse and discrimination to get the help they need,” said Duncan in a press release.
“This is part of the systemic culture change we are creating so everyone can experience the best sport has to offer.”
These new initiatives will also have lasting effects on university sport in Canada, including at UBC.
“These initiatives represent a significant advancement in the protection of athletes and the promotion of safe sport, and we applaud Minister Duncan, the team at the SDRCC, and everyone who played a part in these important changes,” U Sports President and CEO Graham Brown said in a statement on Thursday.
“U SPORTS looks forward to continuing to work with our government and sport partners across the country to ensure that young Canadians experience participation in sport as a healthy, safe, and fun part of their lives.”
Through these advancements, the ministry hopes to reach the target of gender equity in sport, at all levels, by 2035. Set in the 2018 federal budget, this target includes a $30-million, 3-year commitment to support data and research initiatives, as well as innovative practices to advance the inclusion of women and girls in sport across the country.
Over the last year, several other initiatives have also been put in place by the federal government. Some include establishing a Working Group on Gender Equity in Sport, withholding funding from federally funded national organizations that to not institute measures that foster healthy and safe sport environments, and developing a Code of Conduct for sport at all levels to help organizations manage harassment, abuse and discrimination cases.
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