The Quebec Sport Community Speaks in Unison for a Canadian Sport Policy
MAGOG, January 27, 2001 -- Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) Denis Coderre today thanked the 180 participants of the Quebec sport system who took part in a two-day sport conference in Magog, Quebec. The consultation was the last of a series of six regional sport conferences to take place across Canada starting in June 2000. These conferences were held to assist with the development of a Canadian Sport Policy to improve the Canadian sport system.The participants represented the grass-roots through the high-performance sport system in Quebec and included delegates from a number of aboriginal communities. They spoke about the need for the different levels of government to work together in partnership to establish a sport policy founded on a common vision. The participants also recommended the creation of a Canadian department responsible for Sport and Fitness and the development of a joint federal/provincial strategy to promote ethics and values. They also suggested additional investments be made to better train coaches and to professionalize the coaching system in Canada. In addition, they strongly called for more time to be spent on physical education in the school system by pointing out that, for many children, their only physical activity is the physical education they receive in school.
As well, delegates representing Quebec youth, made a number of recommendations to improve the Canadian sport system. They suggested a system be put in place to provide university- and college-level athletes with support to continue in school while practising their sport. They also called for a more athlete-focused system and recommended more resources be devoted to developmental-level athletes.
"I am pleased to have ended these regional consultations here in my home province," said Mr. Coderre. "It will be very important to take into consideration the special needs of Quebec when we develop our Sport Policy. I appreciate the hard work the delegates here have done to provide me with their recommendations."
The conferences will be followed by a National Summit on Sport, chaired by the Prime Minister, that will take place in Ottawa in April 2001.
More information on the Quebec regional sport conference is available at the following web site: www.amateur-sport.gc.ca.
INFORMATION:
Patrick L. Doyon
Director of Communications
Office of the Secretary of State (Amateur Sport)
(819) 994-9909
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