Canadian Heritage Committee on June 7th, 2016

[Karen O'Neill]

Thank you very much, Mr. O'Regan.

Let me make a few general comments, and then I'll ask my colleagues to speak about some of the specifics.

In terms of the number of viewers, you're right, because one of the biggest challenges we have for increased participation by individuals with a disability across the country is that they know there are possibilities and options.

One of our top swimming Paralympians, Stephanie Dixon, with about 21 awards and medals, often tells the story that she didn't even know it was possible. She's a single-leg amputee, and she didn't know it was possible until she saw another Paralympic swimmer on TV. That's what initiated it. She saw the interview afterwards. The same story is shared with one of her equivalent colleagues, Benoît Huot. The stories from our athletes is that again and again they hear there's an option they never considered. It was a very specific strategy, starting in Sochi, to ensure that the story got out.

I'd like to ask my colleague Martin Richard to speak a little about the specifics and the whole idea of the CBC buying the rights. The idea was that we could develop a strong content strategy in addition to the extraordinary innovative partnerships in terms of having multiple channels on the platforms of many of our partners so that they're integrated and aligned for many audiences. I'd like him to speak a little more about it because you're right, it's probably the number one priority. If we go ahead and compete and nobody sees it, I fear that, number one, Canadians will not know the story of our fabulous athletes, but we will also not inspire what we believe needs to be the next generation.

[Martin Richard]

As Karen mentioned, one of the key items for us was to bring the stories back home. We had the fortunate experience in Vancouver of having our athletes compete in front of Canadians. How can we bring that energy and impact back to Canadians consistently when the games are not hosted in Canada? After London, we were quite disappointed with the amount of coverage that our Paralympian teams got, so we took the bold move to acquire the rights.

We're not a television station and we're not professionals in that medium, so we forged partnerships with the biggest media outlets in the country and sought their guidance on how we could bring more coverage to Canadians through a variety of channels, from digital channels for a younger audience to the traditional linear broadcast platforms.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

If I could interject, the time zone works in your favour this time too, which is a huge issue.

[Karen O'Neill]

Absolutely.

[Martin Richard]

For Rio, it could not be more of a perfect storm for us. We can bring the quantity, but we can also focus on the quality and on ensuring that the story of the Paralympic brand was told consistently across all platforms. This is where the Paralympic Committee's leadership played a part. We're going to see some very exciting things on the field of play, but you will also see them on your television set or your iPads throughout the games.

[Karen O'Neill]

With reference to your second question, which was about the number of sports, the sequence for a sport coming on a program is about a seven-year advanced window. We are looking at sports now in 2022, 2024, and we will be lobbying the International Paralympic Committee on sports for the program. For instance, Rio will be the last time that sailing is on the Paralympic agenda, but they've replaced triathlon and canoe for this set, and then badminton and taekwondo are going to be added for games afterwards. It's a very rigorous process of review against criteria, depth of field, participation, availability for multi-classes, and disability.

[Catherine Gosselin-Després]

Once we find out which disciplines will be accepted, we will develop an internal strategy to determine which sports we could promote to our advantage. Canada often excels in new sports. So we are trying to take advantage of these opportunities.

For the Winter Games, for example, para-snowboard was tried out in Sochi. The number of categories has increased. We are trying to invest more time in this sport so we can win more medals. With our winter conditions in Canada, we have more opportunities to win medals in winter sports.

We are conducting our analysis and developing our strategy accordingly.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

You have one and three quarter minutes.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I offer to share with my colleague.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I read the evidence before we went to London. There were some very interesting points.

I was reading what Charmaine Crooks said when she was testifying. She said that while women's participation in sport has increased, there is still a huge gap in terms of female leadership in sport at the very high levels.

We are going to run out of time, so if I don't get the full answer, maybe I can get some information in writing as well. I am curious about the number of women who are involved in the Canadian Olympic movement and the Canadian Paralympic movement as coaches, as a percentage, if we compared it, and the number of women who are involved as directors within the two movements, and in addition, what programs are in place to encourage women to take leadership positions in sports.

Let's get started.

[Christopher Overholt]

I'll take it quickly, because from a sport leadership perspective it is, relatively speaking, a very good story in this country, as evidenced by Karen's leadership on the Paralympic side, and of course our president, Tricia Smith, has just taken the reins at the Olympic Committee. As many of you may know, she has just been nominated to the IOC in the last few days by the executive board, and we're all hoping her confirmation will come in early July as part of the IOC session meeting in Rio.

With regard to our sport leadership within our system, the statistical number escapes me at this moment, but it skews heavily toward women. In fact, more than 50% of our current sport administrator leadership in the system right now is being provided by women.

I don't have our coaching statistics for you at this time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much. Perhaps Ms. O'Neill can find a moment to stick that answer right into another question.

Thank you.

Now we go to Mr. Kitchen for the Conservatives.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you all for coming here today.

Ms. O'Neill, thank you for answering my first question, which was how I could get those flip-flops. I appreciate it.

I've talked with Sport Canada in the past and I'm aware of the next-generation steps that are being put forward. Ms. O'Neill, can you comment on what your steps are for the next generation?

[Karen O'Neill]

Absolutely. This is a critical program for us, particularly when you talk about individuals with a disability.

The next generation, loosely defined, speaks to those athletes who might be approximately five to eight or nine years away from the podium. In the Paralympics and for athletes with a disability, this is not necessarily the case. Because of the engagement of our athletes, often athletes can be identified, and depending whether it's a traumatic or a congenital injury, if they have a strong fitness and sport background, they could be in the next generation program as soon as in a year to three years.

It's of utmost importance for us. We've initiated a program very similar to what the COC has for identification and recruitment of athletes. Ours is called “Paralympian Search”. Most important for us is to be able to identify and recruit athletes and then provide the strong, quality, technical leadership in coaching in addition to a quality daily training environment, a facility that's accessible, and equipment that's appropriate and accessible.

When we talk about the next generation, the opportunity for us to develop a longer-term view to support participation all the way up to the podium is most critical for us, because currently our programs and our resources and capacity are more focused, I'm going to say, on that tighter window to the podium. That's why it's important to have the longer-term view.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Thank you.

[Catherine Gosselin-Després]

Have have conducted our Paralympian Search four times. About 64% of our new athletes have come from these four events. So it has been extremely positive.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Thank you very much.

The next question will be for both groups.

I've had the privilege of being to Rio. I realized when I went there that there were all sorts of hurdles I had to step through—not only consular issues and visa issues, but health issues as well, such as worries about yellow fever and dengue fever. At that time Zika was not an issue.

I'm wondering whether both groups can comment on what steps you've taken and what precautions you've taken.

[Christopher Overholt]

I'll start and then I'll turn it over to you, Karen.

First of all and importantly, the health and safety of our athletes and coaches is, for all of our mission team members, always our first priority whenever we're preparing to go for games.

We're in the fortunate position of having great leadership within the medical community and attached to our Olympic mission. Dr. Bob McCormack has been involved with us for as long as I've been involved over the last six years. As our chief medical officer, he provides great continuity for the Olympic team, games over games, and has many relationships around the world at the highest levels, which allow him not only to monitor the circumstances around health and safety but also to be an active part of the conversations.

We have great comfort in the information we're getting both from the Rio organizing committee and first-hand from our chief medical officer, and in the steps we've taken to mitigate those circumstances.

Of course, we've seen headlines in the last couple of days that I think would provide possible cause for concern to almost any person, but the information we get is that it's well under control, and certainly the recent statements from the World Health Organization would indicate that they feel the same, despite some of what has been said by the broader medical community internationally.

As most of you will probably be aware, the WHO has convened a meeting later in June in Geneva to discuss it further, but, again, the comfort and assurances we have, as provided by our medical team and by the international authorities, give us good confidence.

[Karen O'Neill]

I would echo that. Chris stated it extremely well.

Going back to the earlier comments about when we start planning, on our horizon we're already looking at the next three sets of games, and certainly Rio has been on our radar for at least the last half-dozen years.

Part of the games planning is not only how many suitcases, jackets, and coaches we need to take and support in the athletes village, but also an ongoing risk assessment of what the variables are that will impact the team. That starts with the planning even way back, in our five or six years prior. Health concerns, security, water—those are all part of our planning, as well as risk management and mitigation.

I would also echo and build upon Chris's comments about taking a small village to deal with this. Between us and the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian consulate, and the other associated federal agencies, there is a very tight and strong working partnership to make sure that we have accurate data on a real-time basis and have the capacity and the system, as Catherine pointed out in discussing how we were looking at our emergency preparedness response and our issue management, to be able to activate a response immediately as required.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Thank you.

We've had a number of cases in the news in which a number of athletes have said they're not going to go, and it's a personal preference as to whether they do or not.

How are you going to fill those spots as you hear about them? If something happens on the last day, how do you fill that position?

[Christopher Overholt]

We submit a long list of potential athletes to the organizing committee for consideration, and then we leave the rest to our national sports federations, each of which has its own independent process, separate from us, that allows them to nominate athletes and coaches to their team.

That's a process that has hard deadlines that come up in July. Working with our national sports federations for the many months leading up to the games, then, we have all potential athletes covered in our long-list registry with the organizing committee, and then we leave it to our national sports federations to address that question up to the deadline.

[Karen O'Neill]

Ours would be a very similar situation, in that the long lists are submitted several months beforehand. At this point, we have had no athletes decline the invitation to participate, but I'd also reinforce that it's not only the athletes. If you remember the numbers I spoke about, our team is about 155 to 160 people, but to support that team we have the technical support mission and operations. They bring it up to 300. Our concern is for the total team.

We also ensure that from an information standpoint, everybody is very clear on the scope of the issue, the implications, and the support—and full support—for whatever decision they make. They're supported in every aspect with the information to make the best decision that's appropriate for them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much, Mr. Kitchen.

I now go to Mr. Nantel for the NDP.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for being here this morning. Clearly, the next Games are approaching quickly. No doubt you are counting the minutes.

Your appearance here will certainly encourage athletes in their performance. Each federation has its athletes. I see your role as similar to that of an impresario who makes sure everything is set for an ideal performance.

Mr. Myles, Ms. Gosselin-Després, the media are covering the situation there, especially the social context and health. I would like to know how all of that is influencing performance-based training and preparation. How do you maintain our athletes' concentration?

I hope to have some time later on to ask some questions about more sensitive subjects, although the answers will more likely come after the Games are over. Actually, I don't think that every subject should be addressed before the Games, so as not to interfere with performance.

In short, does the media coverage of the situation have an impact on you, your athletes or your federation in terms of performance and training?