Future of Sport in Canada Commission opens public survey ahead of summit

Article content

The Future of Sport in Canada Commission launched its public survey Monday to gather opinions on safe sport and improving the sport system ahead of its fall summit.

Among the first questions posed: Have you witnessed or experienced maltreatment in sport, and how big of a problem do you think maltreatment is in organized sport in Canada?

Former Olympic skier Allison Forsyth, a founder of Generation Safe and now safe sport officer for Canada Soccer, says while she believes the commission is doing important work, some survey questions assume a level of experience with the national sport system.

Forsyth also asks if the person taking the survey knows the definition of maltreatment under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport.

“When I’m out here doing my work, there’s many people in this country at the grassroots level that don’t even know what safe sport means,” Forsyth said. “The questions in the survey are very good, but very specific.

“If it was sent to the public as their opportunity to contribute to the future of sport in Canada … it doesn’t do enough to explain to people the foundation of safe sport, what maltreatment is, and what the universal code of conduct is.”

The survey is open until August and can be accessed through the canada.ca website or the commission’s social media posts.

Forsyth, a survivor of sexual abuse in sport, recently completed her International Olympic Committee certification as a safeguarding officer in sport.

She’s also worked with provincial, university and club sport organizations in Canada, and wanted those levels to be more represented in the survey questions.

“My education and work is the people that matter the most, which is the children in sport at a grassroots level whose parents are entrusting their club to keep their child safe from maltreatment,” Forsyth said.

“If I was a parent, and I am one of high-level hockey players in the youth programs, would I know any of this? The answer, in my opinion, is no because the universal code of conduct to address maltreatment in sport points back to the federal level of sport.”

The commission was among the various federal government remedies in response to a wave of maltreatment and abuse reports, both current and historical, that surfaced after the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Athletes spoke to parliamentary committees about mental, verbal, physical and sexual abuse, and their of retribution for reporting it.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

So the commission’s two-part questionnaire released Monday “invites Canadians to share their experiences and perspectives to help shape a safer, more inclusive and accountable sport environment across the country,” the commission said in a statement.

“Participation in the survey offers another opportunity for individuals to contribute to the national dialogue on improving safe sport in Canada and enhancing the overall sport system.”

The public survey follows the commission’s cross-country consultations in a dozen cities from October to January, when athletes, coaches, officials and sport organizations were invited to participate in writing, or via online submissions and surveys, if they couldn’t in person.

The options of speaking or writing to the commission closed Monday when the public survey was introduced.

The commission headed by Lise Maisonneuve, a former chief justice of the Ontario Court of Justice, is expected to produce a preliminary report in August ahead of a two-session national summit Sept. 8 and 9 and Sept. 11 and 12 in Ottawa.

Former sports minister Carla Qualtrough announced the commission in December 2023 and the 2024 federal budget earmarked $10.6 million over two years for it to do its work.

When Maisonneuve was appointed the commission’s head May 9, 2024, the clock began ticking on its stated 18-month mandate to gather information, produce an initial report, hold a summit and provide final recommendations.

Maisonneuve was granted an extension to March 31, 2026, for her final report.