Denis Coderre Announces Appointment of Jean-Guy Ouellet as Senior Advisor on Sport
MONTREAL, September 1, 2000 -- Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) Denis Coderre today announced the appointment of Jean-Guy Ouellet to his staff as the senior advisor on sport. Mr. Ouellet is a Professor in the Kinanthropology Department of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports at the University of Sherbrooke."I am delighted that Jean-Guy Ouellet has agreed to become a member of my team," said Mr. Coderre. "With his many years of experience and his great knowledge of the Canadian sport system, he will be a very valuable asset in helping me build a stronger sport system for Canada."
The Secretary of State also used this occasion to thank Mr. Ouellet for his work as one of the co-chairs, along with Bruce Kidd, of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Working Group. The Working Group was set up to make recommendations on the development of a National Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) System in order to make sport organizations and the sport system more transparent and accountable, and to establish a more balanced relationship between athletes, coaches and sport organizations.
Mr. Coderre reiterated his support for the principles outlined in its final report and announced that he will be setting up an implementation committee to develop an alternative resolution process for settling sport disputes. As part of this process, Mr. Coderre said that in future all national sport organizations will be required to have internal appeal mechanisms in place and to provide access to external mediation and arbitration for all athletes, coaches and sport organization members. This requirement will be built into the new funding and accountability framework for organizations receiving government funding beginning in 2001.
"Although it may not be possible to completely eliminate these kinds of disputes, I am convinced that the new processes will resolve these issues more quickly, openly and fairly. That will benefit everyone in the sport community," said Mr. Coderre.
Information:
Patrick L. Doyon
Director of Communications
Office of the Secretary of State (Amateur Sport)
(819) 994-9909
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