1.1. The Committee’s study

On 7 June 2016, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (the Committee) adopted the following motion:

That the Committee undertake a study of four (4) meetings on Canadian women and girls in sport, and how the Department of Heritage can increase participation and involvement in both amateur and professional sport.[1]

Pursuant to the motion adopted by the Committee, the study covered eight meetings, during which Committee members heard from 26 witnesses and received two briefs. They heard testimony from various stakeholders: athletes, representatives of sports organizations, experts and government officials. The members of the Committee wish to thank all the witnesses for their participation. Their testimony is grouped into the following six themes:

• 1) Overview of the legal and policy framework of Sport Canada;
• 2) Sport participation of women and girls in Canada;
• 3) Issues relating to female coaches and referees;
• 4) Women as leaders in sport;
• 5) The media and women in sport;
• 6) Sexual harassment in sport; and
• 7) Transgender inclusion.

In addition to the motion adopted by the Committee, the Committee members also agreed on terms of reference to give direction to their study. They sought to answer the following questions:

• What is the current state of the participation of women and girls in both amateur and professional sport?
• What is the current state of the participation of women in leadership roles such as coaching, officiating and managing sports?
• What can or should be done to promote women or girls in sports as participants or in leadership roles?

Certain issues identified in the study’s terms of reference had been addressed in the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s Sub-committee on the Study of Sport in Canada’s report published in 1998 and titled Sport in Canada: Everybody's Business - Leadership, Partnership and Accountability.[2] In this study, the Committee also looks at what was done in response to the recommendations made at the time and their current relevance.

1.2 Relevance of the 1998 recommendations

The eight recommendations made by the Sub-Committee on the Study of Sport in Canada in 1998 on women and girls in sport are as follows:

23. The Government of Canada use the infusion of $50 million into Canada’s sport system to benefit underrepresented groups, in order to ensure that opportunities for girls and women are on a par with those for boys and men.

24. The Government of Canada establish a tracking system to ensure that a fair portion of the new funding does in fact reach the targeted underrepresented groups.

25. The Government of Canada continue to collect gender-based statistics through the initiatives noted above; that a verification process be established to ensure the accuracy of the data; that additional funding incentives be provided to those sport organizations which deliver equitable services, and that penalties be assessed against those that do not.

26. The Government of Canada, as a major funder of the new system of national sport centres, enact three criteria for ongoing funding; significant representation by women on the boards of directors; programming that serves the unique needs of women and the other underrepresented groups; and higher numbers of apprenticeship and employment opportunities for women coaches.

27. In support of Canada’s hosting of the 2002 World Conference on Women and Sport, that the Government of Canada involve other government departments, especially those concerned with women’s health, violence against women, and human rights; and that a financial legacy in the form of grants and scholarships to girls and women be established.

28. The Government of Canada build on the initiatives begun in January 1997 to eradicate harassment and abuse from Canadian sport, and continue to support activities that make sport safer and more accessible to girls and women.

29. The Sport Facility Infrastructure Program be developed to ensure accessible programs that encourage participation and provide “catch‑up” funding for girls and women.

30. The Government of Canada offer a program of incentives or tax breaks to Canadian manufacturers that develop, market, and export female-friendly equipment.[3]

In light of the evidence, the Committee considers that many of the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee on the Study of Sport in Canada in 1998 are still relevant in the current context of women and girls in sport in Canada. While the Committee noted some improvements in the participation of women and girls in sports, it was also noted that many of the 1998 recommendations were never fully implemented and more needs to be done.

The Committee wishes to emphasize the relevance of recommendations 23 to 26, 28 and 29 and reiterates the importance of implementing them.

2.1 Legal framework

The Physical Activity and Sport Act[4] (PASA) sets out the federal government’s objectives for sport, which are to encourage more people to take part in physical activity (participation pillar) and to promote excellence in high performance sport (excellence pillar). The first objective targets all Canadians, while the second specifically targets high performance athletes.

As to participation, section 3 of the PASA states that the objectives of the federal government are:

(a) to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being;

(b) to encourage all Canadians to improve their health by integrating physical activity into their daily lives; and

(c) to assist in reducing barriers faced by all Canadians that prevent them from being active.

As to excellence, section 4(2) of the PASA states that the objectives of Canada’s sport policy are as follows:

(a) to increase participation in the practice of sport and support the pursuit of excellence in sport; and

(b) to build capacity in the Canadian sport system.

The PASA allows the minister responsible for administering the Act to take various measures to encourage, promote and develop physical activity and sport in Canada. These measures include facilitating the participation of under-represented groups in the Canadian sport system, specifically women, people with disabilities, visible minorities and Indigenous peoples.

2.2 Canadian Sport Policy

Under the Canadian Sport Policy, the federal government collaborates with its provincial and territorial counterparts to foster “a dynamic and innovative culture that promotes and celebrates participation and excellence in sport.”[5] In June 2012, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for sport, physical activity and recreation endorsed a new Canadian Sport Policy (CSP).[6] The policy identifies five broad goals related to different sport contexts:

• Introduction to sport: Canadians have the fundamental skills, knowledge and attitudes to participate in organized and unorganized sport.
• Recreational sport: Canadians have the opportunity to participate in sport for fun, health, social interaction and relaxation.
• Competitive sport: Canadians have the opportunity to systematically improve and measure their performance against others in competition in a safe and ethical manner.
• High performance sport: Canadians are systematically achieving world-class results at the highest levels of international competition through fair and ethical means.
• Sport for development: Sport is used as a tool for social and economic development, and the promotion of positive values at home and abroad.

The policy’s objectives between 2012 and 2022 include providing opportunities “for traditionally underrepresented and/or marginalized populations to actively engage in all aspects of sport participation, including leadership roles.”[7] This objective targets recreational sport as well as competitive sport.

In June 2016, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for sport, physical activity and recreation met in Lethbridge, Alberta. At that meeting, they were given an update on the  progress of the implementation of the CSP. As well, the ministers expressed interest in “strengthening participation amongst women and girls and other under-represented groups”[8] in sport.

2.3 Federal Programs

Sport Canada is the division of Canadian Heritage whose mission is to enhance opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel in amateur sport. The organization promotes the objectives of the PASA. Three Sport Canada programs help achieve these objectives and promote the CSP:

• The Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) provides funding to athletes to help them “combine their sport and academic or working careers while training intensively in pursuit of world-class performances.”[9] In 2015-2016, the AAP contributed approximately $27.7 million to 1,888 athletes.[10] In the 2017 Budget, the federal government proposed to increase annual funding of the AAP to $33 million, which represents an 18% increase in current funding.[11]
• The Sport Support Program (SSP) helps develop athletes and coaches, provides technically based sport programming for athletes, increases the number of Canadians from all segments of society involved in sport and advances Canadian interests and values in Canada and abroad. The primary beneficiaries are national sport organizations (NSO), national multisport service organizations (MSO) and Canadian sport centres (CSC). The SSP also provides funding for specific initiatives that will “increase the participation of women as coaches, officials, volunteers or administrators.”[12] In 2015-2016, the SSP contributed approximately $148.9 million to various recipients.[13]
• The Hosting Program supports the hosting of sport events in Canada, such as the Canada Games, and international sport events. In 2015-2016, the Hosting Program provided funding of approximately $30.5 million in support of 85 events in 55 communities.[14]

2.4 Policy on Sport for Women and Girls

The Policy on Sport for Women and Girls pertains specifically to women and girls in sport. It encourages the development of a sport system in which women and girls are both participants and leaders. Introduced for the first time in 1986, the policy was renewed in 2009. It aims to achieve the following objective:

foster sport environments – from playground to podium – where women and girls, particularly as athlete participants, coaches, technical leaders and officials, and as governance leaders are provided with:

• Quality sport experiences; and
• Equitable support by sport organizations.[15]

The implementation of the policy would result in an improved Canadian sport system where:

• a) Women and girls are actively engaged within Canadian sport as athlete participants, from playground to podium;
• b) Women are actively engaged within Canadian sport as coaches, technical leaders and officials and are also supported to progress within international organizations as technical leaders and officials;
• c) Women are actively engaged as governance leaders (both as key volunteers and senior administrative staff) of Canadian sport organizations and are also supported to progress within international sport organizations.[16]

The policy applies to the sport-related activities and programs of Canadian Heritage, “including those undertaken in collaboration with other governments, departments or organizations.”[17]

2.5 Bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories

The Government of Canada encourages sport participation and physical activity among children and youth by supporting sport participation projects and activities through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. These agreements have two objectives:

• 1) introduce sport through programming that supports physical literacy at the early stages of athlete development.
• 2) increase opportunities for under-represented groups to actively participate in sport as athletes, coaches, officials or volunteers.[18]

Funding for these agreements is provided in part under the SSP, discussed above.

2.6 Observations from witnesses

Witnesses commented on the effectiveness of the various programs and policies in place to advance the status of women in sport.

A common theme was the progress made since the release of the 1998 report by the Sub-Committee on the Study of Sport in Canada, and the remaining work to be done.[19]

Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, noted that she has seen a “great deal of progress over the last two decades.”[20] The performance of Canadian women athletes at the last Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Rio is tangible proof of this. At the summer 2016 Olympic Games, 16 of Canada’s 22 medals were won by women, while at the Paralympic Games 11 of Canada’s 29 medals were won by women.[21]

However, the vast majority of witnesses agreed that there is still work to be done to ensure that the Canadian sport system is truly equitable. Gretchen Kerr, professor and Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto, said there were a “tremendous number of initiatives in response to the 1998 report”[22] but not all were sustained because of a lack of funding.

Some witnesses voiced criticism that sports organizations do not comply with existing policies. For example, the Policy on Sport for Women and Girls does not impose financial penalties on sports organizations that do not comply with it. Nor does it require these organizations to report on progress made in achieving gender equality. Consequently, several witnesses suggested strengthening the policy.

Guylaine Demers, professor at the Department of Physical Education at Université Laval, believes that the solution lies in making sports organizations more accountable. There must be negative financial consequences[23] for those that do not meet the policies in place. By the same token, recognition must be given to sports organizations that make significant progress in gender equality. This reflects recommendation 25 from the 1998 report.

The CSP was also discussed. Among other issues, the fact that it does not include clear targets for the participation of girls and women in sport was raised. For example, Karine Lofstrom, Former Executive Director, Consultant, KL Sports Consulting, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), said that “women, discrimination, and equity were not even mentioned”[24] in the policy.

Many witnesses emphasized the need for efforts to be made in schools, where girls are introduced to physical activity. Elio Antunes, President and Chief Executive Officer of ParticipACTION, identified intergovernmental collaboration as a possible way forward. He considers that the pan-Canadian physical activity framework currently being developed by federal, provincial and territorial governments must include “strategies specific to gender inclusion.”[25]

Physical literacy, which is the need for children to learn how to jump, run, throw and swim so they can be active for life,[26] is another area worth exploring. According to Mr. Antunes,

We need to ensure that programs and the physical education curriculum focus on improving all domains of physical literacy, competence, confidence, and motivation, which are the basics of getting girls active. We also need to provide time for girls-only instruction and practice time to improve their skills.[27]

According to several witnesses, both parents and physical education teachers need to be made aware of the importance of girls participating in physical activity. This point of view was expressed by numerous witnesses, including Ms. Demers of Université Laval,[28] Ms. Kerr of the University of Toronto,[29] Marion Lay, President of Think Sport Ltd.,[30] Marie-Hélène Thibeault, Former Executive Director of Fast and Female[31] and Élaine Lauzon, Chief Executive Officer of Égale Action.[32]

Minister Qualtrough noted the importance of physical education classes in schools, for both girls and boys. According to the Minister, restoring daily physical education classes is vital.[33] Another option for the federal government would be to encourage and financially support sport in school through its bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories.[34]

In light of the suggestions made by the various witnesses regarding the federal government’s sport-related policies and programs, the Committee makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada review its Policy on Sport for Women and Girls to include measurable objectives and an accountability framework.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Department of Canadian Heritage make gender equality a core element in the negotiation of bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories on sport participation.

3.1 Declining participation

There is ample evidence that physical activity has many health benefits. It is generally acknowledged that it helps:

• healthy growth and development;
• prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease;
• make us stronger;
• give us energy;
• decrease stress; and
• prolong independence as we get older.[35]

The data compiled in the most recent Statistics Canada Canadian Health Measures Survey shows that women and girls are less likely to engage in physical activity across all age groups. In 2015, the average number of hours per day spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity decreased with increasing age for both men and women (Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Average number of minutes per day spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity, by sex, respondents aged 6 to 79, 2015

Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 117-0021, 2015. Most recent data available.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) sets standards for exercise and the level of intensity of physical activity. The CSEP’s Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that children aged 5 to 11 and youth aged 12 to 17 accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per day. For adults aged 18-64, it recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week.

According to data gathered by Statistics Canada in 2012 and 2013, only 8% of girls and 16% of boys aged 6 to 11 “met the physical activity guidelines.”[36] In adolescence, there was a significant decline with only 2.5% of girls aged 12 to 17 meeting physical activity guidelines.[37]

For adults aged 18 to 79, approximately 24% of men and 21% of women met the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week.[38]

3.2 Observations from witnesses

The various witnesses who appeared before the Committee are well aware of the reality reflected in the data cited above. Several reasons were given to explain why women and girls are less likely to engage in physical activity.

Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, Chief Executive Officer of CAAWS, circulated a report to the Committee showing that women’s participation is not improving and remains lower than men’s across all measures.[39]

Ms. Sandmeyer-Graves expressed serious concern that the overall participation of women in sport has been falling since the 1990s and that a high percentage of adolescent girls do not engage in sport.[40] She said that sport participation in adolescence is a primary indicator of their participation on a lifelong basis.[41]

Mr. Antunes, of ParticipACTION, discussed disparities between men and women in their levels of physical activity. He noted that, in general, women and girls are less active than men and boys.[42]

Women are less healthy than they were a generation ago. Specifically, women age 20 to 59 are in worse shape than women of the same age were in 1981. They are heavier, less fit, have less flexibility, and have lower grip strength. In other words, the health and fitness of a typical 45-year-old woman has moved her from low-risk category to the increased risk of health problems category, in large part due to physical inactivity.

(…)

Unfortunately, we are seeing the same in girls. Compared to other studies around the world, the average Canadian girl will have an increased risk of health problems by the time she turns 36, in large part due to physical inactivity.[43]

Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), noted that the Canadian sport system is more adapted to the needs of boys than to the needs of girls. She said:

What I would say is that the system understands how to build a sports system for young boys and doesn't know how to build a system for young girls, so that goes to everything from equipment, hours of practise, the social network, the coaching communication style, the expectations.[44]

Mr. Antunes, of ParticipACTION, advocated for a definition of physical activity that is more inclusive, with sport being just one of the many ways to be physically active.[45]

Ms. Demers, of Université Laval, considers that the way in which girls and boys are socialized helps explain the situation. According to Ms. Demers, girls have not had the same opportunities to develop their motor skills, “so they don't feel competent”[46] and they drop out of sport.[47]

Minister Qualtrough questioned the messages conveyed about women, femininity and sport, as they “present a major challenge to keeping girls involved in sport.”[48]

Geordie McConnell, Founder of the Ottawa Triathlon Club,[49] and Ms. Thibeault,of Fast and Female,[50] consider that the pursuit of excellence and sporting achievement is sometimes at the expense of simple recreational participation. Ms. Thibeault argues that physical activity for the pure joy of it must be valued:

Young girls do go through many physiological changes around the age of 13. Their level of self-confidence and self-expression starts falling. Moreover, a five-year-old girl has a lot of confidence and expresses herself a lot. With age and increased social awareness, though, her self-expression decreases. This is reflected in not wanting to compete with her peer group because competition is seen as socially disruptive.[51]

Several witnesses stressed the importance of having female role models to encourage girls to move more and become coaches, officials or amateur athletes. Role models could be female athletes, coaches, referees or leaders in the field of sport and physical activity. According to Ms. Thibeault, of Fast and Female, the representation of female athletes as “strong and confident”[52] as well as “accessible [and] human”[53] can have only a positive impact on the promotion of physical activity.

Other witnesses recommended taking action through physical activity programs in schools. More female physical education teachers would help change mindsets. Training for male teachers is another avenue to consider. Ms. Lauzon of Égale Action said men involved in physical education courses also need help in “how to work with our girls and make sure they make adequate progress.”[54]

Diane Culver, associate professor at the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, drew the Committee’s attention to the cultural aspect of sport participation among women and girls, especially among new Canadians.[55]

According to her, physical activity is one way for newly arrived female immigrants to integrate into Canadian society. Consequently, this issue would need to be addressed in order to promote sport participation among women and girls who have recently settled in Canada.[56]

With respect to youth engagement, Mr. Antunes, of ParticipACTION, pointed out that culture-specific or gender-specific programs that target certain groups can be very effective, even with modest seed funding.[57]

Ms. Lofstrom, of CAAWS, highlighted an important aspect of girls’ participation in sport: the recognition that they might want different things than boys.[58] Here, too, the solution involves communicating with girls to know what they want in order to offer them a positive sporting experience.

It’s about the role-modelling pieces and seeing other women who are in sports, and having those women come back to see the younger girls and be involved in their training.[59]

In the same vein, Shannon Donovan, Executive Director of Football Canada, has observed over her career that the keys to the participation of women in sport “are opportunity and communication to females and to parents.”[60]

Ms. Donovan also noted that communicating with athletes aged 14 and over is key as far as opportunities in sport beyond being an athlete are concerned.[61] According to her, teenage years are an appropriate time to start coaching, officiating, being the water girl on the sidelines, timing games or being a team manager.[62] Challenges relating to coaches and referees, as well as the issue of women as leaders in sport, are discussed later in this report.

Ms. Kerr of the University of Toronto noted that the world of sport is probably the only sector of society that remains segregated by sex, with male and female teams.[63] She said this increases the sports world ’s responsibility to ensure gender equality.

Ms. Kerr argued that one way to interest girls in sport involves encouraging physical literacy in early childhood and in school, “so that children feel more competent and self-assured when they go into learning new sports.”[64]

Regarding the link between the interest in women’s sports “that we see across Canada when the Olympic Games are on”[65] and girls’ participation in sports, Ms. Kerr explained that, unfortunately, this enthusiasm does not translate into higher participation rates after the Games. According to her, the barriers seem to be access, opportunity and resources.

As for the issues surrounding the involvement of parents and families in sport, Ms. Kerr explained that the more parents are involved in physical activity with their children, the more likely their children will participate in sports.[66]

The availability of reliable data and statistics on women and girls in sport and the responsibility to collect this data also arose over the course of the study. Ms. Demers asserted that Sport Canada should be responsible for collecting and making available the data in question. She said that “it should even be part of the evaluation process for the grant applications from each of the national federations. There should be a mandatory aspect dealing with gender equity and funding should be attached to that, and the federations should be required to provide figures.”[67] This evidence reflects the spirit of recommendation 24 from the 1998 report.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that, in order to ensure accountability and to track progress, the Government of Canada collect data on sport organizations receiving federal funding in respect of the following criteria: representation of women on boards of directors, programming that serves the unique needs of women and other underrepresented groups and apprenticeship and employment opportunities for women coaches, umpires and officials.

Similarly, Penny Werthner, professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, emphasized that it is crucial to quantify gender equality, particularly for national female coaching.[68]

Ms. Werthner described the environment in which high-level female athletes train and compete. She pointed to the low number of female coaches and sports science professionals such as exercise physiologists, sports psychologists and medical personnel.[69]

According to Ms. Werthner, this state of affairs is troubling for two main reasons. The first is that being physically active provides significant benefits. The second is that competitive sport is still male-dominated.[70]

While our participation rates are approaching 50%, the other categories are not. I would say it's often not a comfortable environment for our women athletes, and, at worst, it's an environment of subtle ridicule.[71]

Ms. Werthner also considers that high-level competitive sport is an abusive environment “because male skills are still seen, and the physique is still seen, as the norm in women's sport, or in sport in general.”[72]

Wendy Pattenden, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Sport Institute, argued that the issue of women’s participation in sport should not be framed as a choice between recreation and high performance; both are needed.[73]

Likewise, Mr. McConnell of the Ottawa Triathlon Club explained that one of the main reasons women do not stay in sport is the lack of recreational opportunities.[74] Recreational play is not a priority for the Canadian sport system, he noted.

This is because our sports system is built to support elite excellence. When participation is highlighted, it's often only to increase the pool of talent at the young ages to feed the excellence.[75]

Mr. McConnell also reminded the Committee that recreational sport is one of the five goals of the Canadian Sport Policy, but is not receiving enough attention. He said that this responsibility appears to fall to the NSOs.[76] However, he also pointed out that their mission revolves around elite success, as evidenced by their programs.[77] Moreover, the amount of resources allocated to elite sport leaves little for recreational sport, which is what most Canadians play.

One of the main reasons for this imbalance is the organizational focus on the long-term athlete development model. This is a ladder of stages that shows the development of an athlete from introduction to sport through elite levels, and there's great detail at each of these stages. Running up the side of these charts, usually, is a column or option called “sport for life”. This is for those who leave the ladder, but there are rarely details with this sport-for-life option. That makes sense, because there are rarely any programming options either. Athletes who step off the competitive sports ladder seem to be told to go off in the corner and play alone. There's just not the support for them.[78]

As a result, Mr. McConnell said he hopes for two things: that recreational sport is promoted and supported in equal measure to elite sport and that “we place as much value on the simple joy of a life in sport as we do on the glory of sporting achievement.”[79]

Ms. Thibeault, of Fast and Female, recommended continuing to promote exercise by using famous role models and making sure that “we offer sports outlets for girls at school where they are already with their friends.”[80] She also said that many girls need an environment that is not competitive but rather “suited to the personality and ambitions of every kind of girl.”[81]

Ms. Lafrenière of CAC also said that employers need to be made more aware of their employees’ physical activity needs and that “sports-employer” programs that are similar to sports-study programs, which have been very successful in Quebec, should be implemented.[82]

Minister Qualtrough referred to an existing model called Canadian Sport for Life, a federal-provincial-territorial framework that promotes competency in fundamental motor skills.[83] While Sport Canada and the Canadian sport system focus on the higher performance stages, the recreational sport system must concentrate on the active children and active life stages, she argued.[84]

Mandy Bujold, an Olympic boxing athlete, underscored the importance of physical education at school. She said that, while Canada has made major progress in increasing the number of female sport instructors and coaches since she began her career, it has a long way to go to raise the interest level of young girls and women in sport and coaching.[85]

Lanni Marchant, an Olympic athlete, noted that a number of women participate in non-team sports and the government could develop programs to introduce girls to sports such as the triathlon, cycling and boxing.[86] Showing girls that there are other options and role models from other sports could inspire some of them to stay in sports, whether or not they are team sports.[87]

3.2.1 Female athletes and Paralympic sport

Canada ranked 14^th in the total medal count among the countries that participated in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. It therefore surpassed its goal, which was to be one of the top 16 countries.[88] The Canadian delegation consisted of 162 athletes, led by Chef de Mission Chantal Petitclerc and Assistant Chef de Mission Norm O’Reilly. Also of note, the Canadian team was made up of an equal number of men and women.[89]

On 3 November 2016, the Committee had the opportunity to hear from four female athletes who proudly represented Canada at that event. As female athletes and persons with disabilities, they are doubly underrepresented in the Canadian sport system. They generously agreed to share their views on issues such as the funding provided to athletes, access to sports facilities, the role that schools and coaches play.

Tracey Ferguson and Erica Gavel, both members of the Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team, said significant progress has been made in improving programs and policies for women in sport. According to Ms. Ferguson, “equality between men and women in sports” is recognized in federal funding.[90] Whitney Bogart, a member of the goalball team in Rio, also noted that male and female athletes are treated equally under the AAP.[91]

The Committee heard from Shelley Gauthier, 12‑time world champion para-cyclist and bronze medallist in Rio. Ms. Gauthier argued that more can be done to help people with disabilities participate in “disabled sport … in schools, universities and communities.”[92] She emphasized the need to provide “a bigger grassroots level” so that people with disabilities can be introduced to physical activity and recreation.[93] After that, some of them might wish to “set goals to become involved in elite sports.”[94]

Ms. Gauthier also pointed to a lack of sports facilities that are adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. She said the active supervision needed by the people with disabilities who use these facilities is often unavailable.

[A]ctive supervision and leadership are lacking for disabled female athletes. Often there are facilities such as pools adapted for disabled athletes. Coaches and activity partners are required at the grassroots recreational level to provide a program for female disabled youth and adults. This needs to be provided.[95]

The Committee learned that schools often play a key role in leading athletes with disabilities to pursue a sporting career. Access to equipment that is adapted to their needs can trigger a desire to play and excel in sports. In Ms. Bogart’s case, attending a special school for the blind in Brantford enabled her to play various sports “available to the visually impaired” before she settled on goalball.[96]

The witnesses agreed that the school system needs to offer additional sports for people with disabilities. Ms. Gauthier argued that even more could be done to provide schools with equipment that meets the needs of athletes with disabilities.[97] Ms. Bogart said that introducing people to sports that people with disabilities can play is another option to consider. Ms. Ferguson and Ms. Gavel cited the example of the Wheelchair Basketball Schools Program, which offers school children the opportunity to learn the sport. Ms. Ferguson noted that schools can receive support from the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and NSOs to buy this kind of equipment.

As for coaching, Paralympic sport is no different from the broader sport system: most coaches are men. In Rio, for example, 80% of the coaching positions were held by men.[98]

Ms. Gauthier confirmed that, “in elite disabled women’s sport, few females are coaches and are providing leadership.”[99] She used the example of para-cycling, where “there are no female coaches or managers.”[100] Ms. Ferguson explained that this lack of women is the result of barriers such as “patriarchal attitudes or history.”[101] She argued that improvements are needed to address this problem.

For Ms. Gavel, it is “easier to communicate with and relate to a female coach.”[102] However, the athletes agreed that there is no straightforward link between the sex of the coach and the performance of the athlete.

Finally, regarding the participation of people with disabilities in sports, Minister Qualtrough, herself a Paralympic medalist, noted that a number of excellent measures have been implemented at the provincial level.[103] She also said that a study group has been established to examine “how we can use best practices in sport and recreation to attract more people with disabilities into sport.”[104]

They deal with issues of what's being done at the provincial levels, and how do we get more girls and women into sport, especially girls with an acquired disability, that is, you've had an accident, you weren't born with your disability. I would say there's a big gap on the acquired disability piece.[105]

3.3 Women and girls’ participation in sport and sports facilities

The Committee also discussed the relationship between women’s participation in sport and sports facilities. Ms. Lay of Think Sport, asserted that evaluating who is using sporting facilities and identifying tools – including legal action – to bring about change could help achieve gender equality at Canada’s sports facilities.[106] This reflects recommendation 26 from the 1998 report.

According to Ms. Lauzon, of Égale Action, the limited number of facilities and the lack of appropriate sports equipment make playing sports difficult for all concerned.

If we add to that safety, accessibility and discriminatory management, we get bigger barriers to break down in order to encourage women to practise and get involved in sport.[107]

In the current circumstances, Ms. Lauzon suggested that one solution is to manage the schedules and availability of sports facilities to ensure women’s sports are given the same time and space as men’s sports.[108] Ms. Lofstrom of CAAWS was of the same opinion.[109]

Brenda Andress, Commissioner of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), pointed to the need for policies requiring managers of sports organizations and builders of sports facilities to house professional or amateur women’s leagues. She said that the funding provided to build sports facilities and infrastructure should be linked to policies that ensure women can use them.[110]

Minister Qualtrough stated that no decision has been made to tie federal infrastructure funding to the programming offered in the sports infrastructure being built.[111]

In light of the above data and testimony, the Committee concludes that the current sport participation levels for Canadian women and girls necessitate concerted action to improve the situation. We reaffirm updated recommendations 23 and 29 from the 1998 report:

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada use its funding into Canada’s sport system to benefit underrepresented groups in order to ensure that opportunities for girls and women are on par with those for boys and men.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that sport facility infrastructure funding be contingent on ensuring programs that encourage the participation of girls and women.

In addition, the Committee makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada add a gender equality requirement to its evaluation process for grant applications from sport organizations, that funding be tied to that requirement and that the sport organizations be required to provide data on this subject.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Department of Canadian Heritage take the lead and persuade the other signatories to the Canadian Sport Policy to establish targets for the participation of girls and women in sport.

Coaches, female and male, play a key role in the development of athletes. In both recreational sport and elite competition, they influence the girls’ decision to participate in sport.

According to a study by researchers at the University of Toronto, only 17% of head coach positions in Canadian university sport were held by women in 2012–2013.[112] This figure rises slightly for female sports teams, where women held 32% of head coach positions during that period.[113] These numbers are not much higher than those cited in the 1998 report, that is a 3% improvement over 20 years.[114]

Referees, officials, and umpires are also more likely to be men than women. However, the number of women increased between 2005 and 2010 from 99,000 to 140,000 referees (Figure 2).

Figure 2 – Involvement of Canadians in Amateur Sport as Referees, Officials or Umpires, by Sex, 1992, 1998, 2005 and 2010

Source: CAAWS, Women in Sport: Fuelling a Lifetime of Participation – The Status of Female Sport Participation in Canada, March 2016, p. 14. Most recent data available.

During her appearance before the Committee, Minister Qualtrough underscored the need to encourage members of traditionally under-represented groups – including women and girls, people with disabilities and Indigenous people – to participate in sports and become coaches or sport administrators.[115]

Through discussions with the CAC, Minister Qualtrough identified a number of barriers that limit the number of female coaches. One of these barriers is the time of day that volunteer coaches are often asked to work: between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., which is a time of day when women usually have other competing responsibilities, as she explained.[116]

With respect to professional coaches, Minister Qualtrough put forward the idea of adopting a job-sharing model that would enable two women to divide the schedule of one coaching position between them.[117]

Ms. Werthner took a similar position, noting that it is critical to create a supportive environment for a number of female coaches to make it viable for them to continue.[118]

Ms. Pattenden recounted her personal experience as a former coach of the national tennis team and a mother to illustrate the challenge female coaches face in balancing work and family life. She said that this balance was “nearly impossible”[119] to achieve.

Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, at the CPC, reported that an equal number of men and women represented Canada as athletes at the Rio Paralympic Games, but that their coaches were 80% male and 20% female. Therefore, more female coaches are needed at the elite level, including on the Paralympic team.[120]

Ms. Culver from the University of Ottawa also pointed out several issues regarding coaching and refereeing and offered some solutions.[121] For example, she underscored the importance of recruitment and retention, given the very low percentage of female coaches.[122] She argued that having more mothers as coaches, especially at the community level, would help increase girls’ participation in sports.[123]

Ms. Culver explained that women learn differently, cooperate more and communicate differently: they make a distinctive contribution to athletes and the world of sport.[124] If it were made by a greater number of female coaches, this distinctive contribution would encourage more women and girls to participate in sports and assume leadership roles, following in the footsteps of these role models.

As for women who are elite athletes and who may decide to coach youth, Ms. Culver said they could be helped along that path. However, coaching would also have to be transformed into a viable career for women.[125]

Ms. Werthner made a similar argument: coaching must be seen as a paid profession.[126] She said that, in university sports – particularly among women’s teams – the number of male and female coaches is fairly equal because coaching at that level is a viable profession. She further noted that the problem at the national level is that few coaching positions are paid.[127]

Ms. Bujold gave the Committee a concrete example of the financial challenge of being a coach.

If I'm going to be a coach, I'm going to do it 100%; I'm going to be there for my athlete. And after dedicating my entire life to being an athlete, I'm not sure if I want to dedicate my entire life to being a coach and going through the same struggle of not having funding or whatever it is to be a full-time coach. I think that is very difficult.[128]

Ms. Andress of the CWHL told the Committee about the lack of resources available to keep hiring women in the league she represents.[129] The league has trouble attracting women as coaches, as these are volunteer positions. She said this makes it difficult for these female coaches to gain the experience they need to move on to paid positions.[130]

Ms. Culver also highlighted the need for female coaches to complete professional development activities in order to remain certified as coaches.[131] She suggested using existing communities of practice and the Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program – a partnership between the provincial and territorial coaching representatives, the Canada Games Council and CAC that allows each province and territory to send two female coaches to the Canada Games in apprenticeship roles - which could be offered online, to meet this need.

These are low-cost solutions. We just use existing platforms that we have. We can use these social learning spaces to spread great stories about women leadership in sport and help elite female athletes who want to go into coaching.[132]

To address the lack of female coaches, Ms. Culver proposed offering special coaching clinics for female coaches, as well as clinics for men on methods for coaching female athletes and working with female coaches.[133]

As for strategies to create female role models in sport and encourage women to become coaches, Ms. Lofstrom of CAAWS, reported seeing the same model at all age levels, on national teams and in university programs:

Coaches, as part of their team-building, will have their athletes go to either an officials training program or a coaching training program. That way they get to experience those pieces. When their hockey team, let's say, is doing a hockey camp, the players who took the coaching education will run the camps for the young girls. They get a taste of coaching to see if they like it. It gives them an opportunity to think about maybe being a coach.[134]

To recruit and hire more female coaches on national teams, provincial teams and in U Sports, Ms. Pattenden recommended establishing a creative and flexible program with incentives.[135] She considers that this program could be funded through the AAP in order to recruit recently retired athletes.[136]

Ms. Pattenden also recommended considering “a model that encourages teens to get into coaching at the grassroots level right from an early age.”[137]

According to Ms. Lafrenière, trainees in the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) have been 67% men and 33% women nationally over the past five years.[138] While noting that 25% of those who participated in the NCCP in 2007 were women, she said that the data have held steady for the past five years.[139]

Ms. Lafrenière also reported that, in 2007, only 21% of female coaches – or 177 women – took advantage of the highest level of education offered by the CAC, which prepares them for the national team and international competition.[140] She said that women have been participating less since then and that the International Olympic Committee’s emphasis on gender equality and athlete participation has not translated into improvements in the field of coaching.[141]

Ms. Lafrenière proposed a potential solution for individuals who want to take the NCCP in remote areas: it can be taken by mail.[142] She also cited the example of Ontario, which has a very good online blended learning strategy that attracts people living in remote regions.

As another possible solution, Ms. Lafrenière explained the new approach that her association developed.[143] One of the necessary changes would be to introduce the rule of two, which involves having at least one man and one woman on a female team at all times.[144]

Ms. Thibeault of Fast and Female agreed with Ms. Pattenden and Ms. Lafrenière, highlighting the need for female coaches in the field.

Our female athletes, since they do not necessarily have their sights set on high‑performance sport, must be able to redirect their energy and passion by serving as coaches and officials. So the sports experience has to be seen in a much broader way.[145]

Ms. Bujold helped the Committee fully understand the importance of an athlete having a good coach.

When coaches took the time to teach me properly and I learned proper defence and learned the skills behind it, then I created this love for the sport, and then I wanted to be the one getting into the ring.[146]

Ms. Lee considers that one way to establish gender equality in coaching would be to require NSOs and MSOs to implement tangible initiatives in the coaching contingent for each international event.[147] This requirement would be a condition for NSO funding.

Ms. Donovan provided the Committee with a personal example illustrating the importance of having female coaches in the field, particularly in male-dominated sports.

I coach hockey and I’ve had several parents say to me that they’re so glad that their daughter has a female coach on the ice. It’s the same thing on the football side.[148]

Paralympic athlete Erica Gavel told the Committee that she is pursuing a coaching career. She noted differences in the ways girls and boys relate to their coach.

Girls are different from guys. They operate differently. From my experience, from a mentorship standpoint it’s harder to work with a male coach than it is with a female, just based on gender. That can push people away from pursuing those mentorship opportunities.[149]

Ms. Ferguson, also a Paralympic athlete, presented a differing view, arguing that as a high performance athlete she wants to be coached by the best-trained person, regardless of their gender.[150]

Ms. Lauzon of Égale Action concurred, arguing that male teachers or coaches who receive adequate training for interacting with female athletes will be able to get them to achieve the level of development they aspire to.[151]

Ms. Lofstrom of CAAWS agreed with the idea of educating male coaches while working toward having more female coaches.[152]

Ms. Lay of Think Sport mentioned the Canada Games as an example that provides an excellent opportunity to change the under-representation of women in coaching.

Canada Games has been funded on a long-term basis through commitments both by the federal government and by the provincial government, and we have seen change because of those commitments. They have a board that is totally committed, they have an affirmative action program called women in coaching, they have targets for what they’re going to do, and they have to publicly report back their findings every year.[153]

In light of the various witnesses’ suggestions with respect to coaches and referees, the Committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada put appropriate measures in place to increase the number of girls and women serving as coaches and referees and look into providing coaching mentorship programs, such as shadowing, that would allow for recognition of prior learning.

Reaffirming recommendations 25 of the 1998 report,

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that additional funding incentives be provided only to those sport organizations, that deliver equitable services and equitable leadership opportunities.

5.1 Developing role models

Several witnesses spoke about the importance of developing female role models to encourage girls to get more active and become coaches, officials or amateur athletes. According to Ms. Thibeault of Fast and Female, having female athletes who are “strong and confident”[154] but also “accessible and human”[155] cannot help but have a positive impact in terms of leadership.

For an athlete – female or male – what is more important than being a professional athlete or earning money at the NHL, for example, is being a local hero, according to Ms. Andress:

You can live forever in your community as a hometown hero, whether you’re playing on the local baseball team, hockey team, or football team, and you make a difference. Usually in the past those individuals grew up to be the mayor, or those individuals grew up to hold an influential position at some point.[156]

5.2 Developing leadership

As a solution for expanding the role of women in the Canadian sport system, Ms. Werthner from the University of Calgary suggested increasing the number of women in leadership positions, as coaches and as leaders.[157]

Ms. Werthner told the Committee that a year-long program for female athletes interested in becoming administrators in a national sport organization had already been in place in the past. These women were paired with women as mentors, and an environment conducive to developing the skills needed to be successful over a year was created. According to Ms. Werthner, some of these women are still within the Canadian sport system; some are leading a sport organization.[158] She thinks that this is a model that could be looked at because program participants need to acquire certain skills, just as anyone does.[159]

Ms. Lay suggested a way to encourage female athletes to get more involved as leaders. For example, a mentorship program where female athletes would receive a stipend and training would allow them to apply the skills they gained as athletes.[160] In her view, the problem is that these athletes do not have the funding needed to be able to contribute to the Canadian sport system.

Current real athletes, unless they’re retiring, may not be able to do that as they’re going to go on for a longer career, but we have the last number of top athletes from our Olympics and Pan-American and Commonwealth Games who I think would be thrilled to be part of something where they have a sense of belonging and can contribute back.[161]

As for a recommendation to encourage women’s participation at all levels of sport, Ms. Donovan pointed to the need for coaches, officials, administrators and women supporting the sport.[162]

Mr. Antunes, of ParticipACTION, highlighted the need for female role models to encourage girls to get more active and for support for parents so that they can play this role.[163]

This could be through workplace policies that allow flexible hours, so people can walk their kids to school, for instance. If Canadian women are more active, this will improve the physical activity habits of their daughters.[164]

Ms. Andress of the CWHL told the Committee that her league is very lucky to have women within its ranks in different areas in professional sports, such as human resources, law and finance.

… You will never see women commissioners, scouts, or coaches. You will never see us as GMs, but you see that in our league. We’re trying to portray to all the youth in Canada that as women, we have the right to be who we were born to be and to continue doing that.[165]

5.3 Women in executive positions

Most NSOs and MSOs have boards of directors that perform a variety of roles. They “provide purpose, leadership, direction and overall strategy for the organization or facility they are presiding over.”[166] They must also ensure that the organization’s finances are sound and that the organization’s “operations are legal.”[167]

According to a guide developed by CAAWS, “[i]ncreasing the number of women on boards can bring new voices, varying opinions, and different approaches and solutions to the decision-making process.”[168] More women on boards also means “a greater diversity of skills, experiences, opinions and strategies – and that means better governance.”[169] Ms. Lee said:

This isn't good news, but I'm the only woman in the world who has ever done this job at the CBC. I'm the only woman in the world who has ever hosted broadcasting, and no one has done it since. That's not good. When I was there, I made sure that women were scheduled, that their events were scheduled, and that there was equal sponsorship money. You didn't get on the air, all of that. You need somebody in there.[170]

The under-representation of women in management positions and on the boards of sports organizations was an issue raised by several witnesses. This appears to be confirmed by CAAWS data. Figure 3 shows that women made up 26.3% of NSO boards of directors in 2015. Women’s representation on MSO boards was slightly higher, at 33% for the same period.

Figure 3 — Percentage Breakdown of National Sport Organization and National Multisport Service Organization Leaders by Gender, 2015

Source: CAAWS, Women in Sport: Fuelling a Lifetime of Participation. A Report on the Status of Female Sport Participation in Canada, March 2016, p. 15.

This reality is all too familiar to those in the Canadian sport system. Several witnesses called for greater representation of women in management and on NSO and MSO boards. This recommendation was made by Ms. Pattenden, of the Canadian Sport Institute,[171] and Ms. Lay, of Think Sport.[172]

Ms. Culver from the University of Ottawa considers that Sport Canada needs to set quotas for women in leadership roles within NSOs.[173] Organizations that do not achieve gender equality in their governance structures or do not show improvement would face penalties.

Minister Qualtrough is well aware of the situation. She acknowledges that women’s representation within NSOs and MSOs remains a challenge, despite the progress made over the years. The Minister considers that urgent corrective action is required with respect to the boards of provincial and territorial NSO members. The Minister has not ruled out placing as a condition on funding to NSOs that “their members have more equity on their boards.”[174]

To conclude, there appears to be a lack of data needed to clearly identify the problem regarding women in leadership roles. This was pointed out by Ms. Pattenden of the Canadian Sport Institute[175] and Ms. Demers of Université Laval. Ms. Demers recommended creating a research observatory to rectify the lack of authoritative data. She considers that such an organization could « develop, fund and publish research to provide evidence and monitor progress about women in leadership positions.”[176]

The issues raised by the witnesses are not new. In 1998, the Sub-Committee on the Study of Sport in Canada recommended in its final report that the Government of Canada collect more “gender-based statistics”[177] and that there be “significant representation by women on the boards of directors”[178] of national sport centres. The Committee reaffirms recommendation 26 from the 1998 report and recommends that:

Recommendation 10

The Government of Canada, as a major funder of sports, enact three criteria for ongoing funding: significant representation of women on boards of directors, programming that serves the unique needs of women and other underrepresented groups, and higher numbers of apprenticeship and employment opportunities for women coaches.

In light of the evidence and suggestions heard, the Committee makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada require national sport organizations and national multisport service organizations to ensure the equitable representation of women on their boards of directors and in executive positions.

Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada encourage national sport organizations to ensure that their provincial and territorial members are required to implement gender equality objectives in their governance structures.

Several witnesses during the Committee’s study highlighted the media’s role in encouraging girls and women to participate in sport as well as in publicizing the accomplishments of Canadian female athletes.

Two major issues were raised. First was Canadian broadcasters’ general lack of interest in women’s sports outside of major international sports events, such as the Olympic and Pan Am Games. The media is interested in female athletes only when they win medals in international sports events.

Nancy Lee raised this issue during her appearance. Ms. Lee has extensive experience in broadcasting, as well as having been in charge of programming and producing a range of sports coverage with CBC/Radio-Canada. She considers that financial considerations and low interest by journalists are the main reasons behind the media’s approach to women’s sports:

Media companies don’t have enough resources to spread around. Another issue is that reporters don’t have easy access to the results, or they don’t make an effort to get the results. Another one is that media companies don’t see the business case and, by and large, the audience data, at least for television, would back that up.[179]

Ms. Lee recommended that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) require private broadcasters to earmark part of their revenue for amateur sports.

Several witnesses said that the poor media coverage of women’s sports tends to reduce interest by sponsors. This was raised by athlete Lanni Marchant, Ms. Demers of Université Laval,[180] and Ms. Lee.[181]

Secondly, witnesses also commented on how female athletes are represented in the media. For Ms. Thibeault, of Fast and Female, the fact that female athletes “are constantly sexualized”[182] in the media does not encourage girls to become active. Ms. Marchant[183] and Ms. Bujold[184] both said that they wanted to see female athletes recognized first and foremost for their athletic performance, not their physical appearance. The media has a role to play in this respect. About the sexualization in the media, Ms. Thibeault said that

two days ago I googled female athletes just for fun to check what would emerge, and the first 15 links were the hottest 10 female athletes from the U.S., or the coolest looking girls, or hottest female Olympian athletes. It's always geared toward that sexualization. Then I did the exercise just to compare with male athletes, and the first one that emerged was “who is the strongest male athlete”. There are two standards for how we assess female and male athletes.[185]

Recommendation 13

The Committee recommends that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission impose broadcast hours with respect to women’s sports as part of the licence renewal of public and private television services that broadcast sports programs.

Recommendation 14

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada enhance its communications strategy to encourage girls and women to engage in physical activity and celebrate the successes of Canadian female athletes.

Taking into account Ms. Lee’s recommendation that all federal government funding and support for Canada bidding and hosting an international sports event should be tied to gender equality,[186] the Committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation 15

The Committee recommends that Sport Canada attract more international women and girls sporting events to Canada.

7.1 Sexual harassment in sport

Ms. Kerr raised the fundamental principle that sport needs to be safe for boys and girls and for male and female coaches.[187]

According to Ms. Kerr, all national sport-governing bodies should have an harassment policy and for arm’s-length harassment officers to deal with reported cases.[188]

Ms. Lee told the Committee that although harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination and bullying may be out of the headlines, it is still there. She does not consider that oversight inside organizations at the governance and senior management level is adequate.[189] Her recommendations concerning harassment were similar to those made by Ms. Kerr. When asked during her appearance before the Committee to make one recommendation on how to increase women's participation at all levels in sport, Ms. Lee answered “to address the harassment.”[190] Keeping that in mind, the Committee reaffirms recommendation 28 from the 1998 report by recommending the following update:

Recommendation 16

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada build on the initiatives to eradicate harassment and abuse from Canadian sport and continue to support activities that make sport safer and more accessible.

Mr. Antunes, of ParticipACTION, noted that work is needed to dispel well-established preconceptions that some activities are gender-specific, such as boys play hockey and girls dance.[191] He also said that girls could be subjected to bullying or teasing related to gender stereotypes, derogatory terms like being called a “butch” for playing rugby, or being made fun of for having a lack of skill or success in a sporting environment.[192]

7.2 Transgender inclusion

Minister Qualtrough informed the Committee that her department is working with CAAWS and Canadian Interuniversity Sport on creating policies around transgender participation in sport.[193]

Quite a few human rights cases, particularly in interuniversity sport, have highlighted the need for some kind of systemic change in this area. Right now we’re at the working group policy development stage.[194]

Alan Zimmerman, Director of Policy and Planning with Sport Canada, said that as part of its funding agreements, Sport Canada asks organizations to ensure that they have policies in place that make sure that sport is fair and equitable for all populations.[195]

Mr. Zimmerman also referred to a new policy guideline developed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport entitled “Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport – Guidance for Sport Organizations.” Sport Canada participated in the development of that guidance, which was developed through “extensive consultation” and has been provided to all sport organizations.[196]

In closing

The Committee heard from many witnesses about the participation of girls and women in sport, and the improvements required. While progress has been made since the 1998 Heritage Committee study on this issue, there remains a lot more to be done.

The Committee has reiterated many of the 1998 recommendations in an updated form. This was intentional. The recommendations remain relevant and the Committee’s firm hope is that they will now be fully implemented along with the new recommendations.