Evidence of meeting #21 for Health in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was education.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, ParticipACTION
The other thing that ParticipACTION did this year was to deploy almost a million dollars of private sector funding--not federal moneys but private sector funding--back out to community-based organizations to help with that access issue.
We wanted to make sure that Canadians, rural and urban and from all socio-economic backgrounds, could actually access community-based programs.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Thank you.
My question is for Ms. Murumets as well.
I understand that your organization recently signed a joint statement with my home province of B.C. to become partners in the promotion of physical activity. Can you explain that partnership? Are you hoping to expand that across the country?
4:50 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, ParticipACTION
Yes, times 12, because I believe strongly that if we don't have an aligned vision and strategy in this country we will continue to go backwards and the return on investment will be very low.
ParticipACTION partners with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Sport Canada at the national level, and now, being able to work with B.C. specifically, we can deploy those policies, those programs, and the messaging right through the province of B.C. Minister de Jong has decided that this is a very high return on his investment, so in giving us a smaller amount of money, we can actually take already what we have going, deploy that, and exponentially receive returns on that money.
If we can do that 12 more times, we would have the same messages going at the national level as we would at the provincial and territorial level, and then we're working with community grassroots organizations in each of the provinces and territories, where the rubber meets the road.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
I meant to start by saying that I do remember Hal and Joanne telling me to keep fit and have fun--
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
--when I was younger, although I did prefer Hal when he was sporting his signature moustache.
4:50 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
I have another question. In B.C. we were proud to host the Olympic Games. Certainly in my family we would always watch every two years with great anticipation. We would watch those sporting events. Is there a specific effort to capitalize on the increased awareness of those Olympics? Not that everyone is going to become an Olympic athlete, but do we have programs that say we're thinking about those sorts of activities, and here is how we turn that into action?
4:50 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, ParticipACTION
I believe strongly that the Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2010 touched the heart and soul of every single Canadian in this country. They brought about the birth of Sports Day in Canada. We used them as the inspiration for Sports Day for September of 2010.
Every day many Olympians or Paralympians phone me and wish to be involved in Sports Day in Canada. I believe they can inspire Canadians to get off the couch and get active and participate in sport, however it's defined.
So yes, I think there's magic in the Olympics and Paralympics. We partner with both organizations on Sports Day in Canada.
4:55 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, YMCA Canada
I forget who coined the term--it was probably ParticipACTION, but it might have been someone else, maybe a private sector person--about the “playground to podium” concept. This is one of those things that is not an either/or decision. In order to have podium results, you need to have playground results, and probably vice versa to a certain extent, so we have those models for kids as well. So it's important for us to make sure we're focusing on that entire continuum. As we know, the greatest share of young people are not going to get to that level. Nevertheless, if you look at it as a continuum, it can make a significant difference.
4:55 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, ParticipACTION
I have just a quick comment. We partner with Alex Baumann at Own the Podium. He believes our job is to create the groundswell of sports participation so that he ends up having elite athletes to choose from at the podium level.
4:55 p.m.
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Physical and Health Education Canada
To add to that, Physical and Health Education Canada put in the submission and, along with Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, coined just that term, “playground to podium”, to show how physical literacy development early in youth plays into the evolution of youngsters to high-performance or physically active Canadians, so we can see that there is a correlation there.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Djaouida Sellah NDP Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will do as Mrs. Block did, repeat something. As a family physician, I am aware of and support everything our guests have said. I thank you for your remarks.
I know full well that primary prevention is better than secondary prevention. Personally, since I was a child, I have always been told that it was important to have a healthy mind in a healthy body. I know that a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are determinants in chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Today I will speak as a mother and an average person. I will talk primarily about my province, Quebec. As a mother, I noticed that my children were not getting much exercise at school. I assume that they have only about an hour and a half or two hours per day during the week. As a former athlete, a handball player, I can tell you that I made it to the international level without spending a penny. I always encourage my children to play team sports, so that one day they may have an impact on society, but playing soccer costs $500 per child, per session. I have three children.
How are we supposed to encourage our children to play sports in these conditions? I am talking about an average family. I am not talking about people on social assistance. In 2006, the federal government created a refundable tax credit for people who could afford to register their children.
We are well aware that obesity and sedentary lifestyles are more frequent in people who cannot afford healthy food. I see it as a vicious circle. As Mr. Haldane said, we should get back to basics. We do not expect everyone to become an elite athlete. Sporting activities must be readily available and integrated into the curriculum at school. I think that is the starting point. We also need incentives so that parents can register their children.
Personally, I can tell you that a lot of people in my community say that they can only afford to register one child in physical activity. That is deplorable. We know full well that activity and prevention cost less than specialized care.
I would like to know what role the federal government plays in setting up a pan-Canadian strategy or directives. I know that there are temporary initiatives in certain provinces, but I think that there should be a Canada-wide policy, regardless of whether the child lives in Nunavut, Quebec, or elsewhere. Wherever those children are, they should have access to physical education. I can tell you that where there are financial problems, children are encouraged to go...
I have registered my children. We spend a great deal of money registering them, but then they don't go. So the money is wasted. However, when people know that there are no financial barriers, they can miss a day or two and go back after that. Not only are the parents financially penalized, but there is a shortage of coaches for these activities.
When my children started at the junior level, parents ran those types of classes on a voluntary basis. Despite that, we paid for the facilities. I think that the problem runs much deeper.
5 p.m.
Conservative
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
Thank you. This time I'm going to be generous with time, because you're such a charming person.
5 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
5 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joy Smith
We have time, so I'm going to go ahead, one by one. Let's start with Ms. Grantham first.
5 p.m.
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Physical and Health Education Canada
The United Nations and the World Health Organization actually declare physical education a fundamental right for every child. So absolutely, there needs to be leadership, as well as a declaration in Canada to declare every child in this country should have access to a quality physical education program. That entails adequate time, adequate resources, and a qualified teacher, as well as supports in and around the physical education program before, during, and after school to influence more physical activity so it becomes a natural part of their day. When they have the confidence and they have the skills, they will be more apt to engage beyond.
Every child goes to school, so we don't have to look at barriers such as cost and access because they can access this through the school period. Hopefully, their continuance will go beyond the school day. That is absolutely a key solution, and the federal government needs to stands behind that declaration.