Canadian Heritage committee  It is important because we all know that sometimes it's the small things that make the difference in an athlete's performance. Again, to give you an idea of size, over a two-day period the outfitting team will pack more than 720 bags to send to our athletes and support team in Rio.

Canadian Heritage committee  Few things mobilize as many sectors of our society as the Olympic Games. Team Canada, of course, comprises not only athletes, coaches, technical support staff, and team leaders but also doctors and physiotherapists, operations personnel, communications and digital teams, outfitting teams, and security services, including, of course, RCMP officers to ensure the safety of the Canadian Olympic team while Brazilian security forces look after the general safety of all those involved.

Canadian Heritage committee  We are particularly pleased to have this opportunity to address this committee because the Government of Canada plays such an important role as a contributor to sport in this country, in particular to our national sport federations and our athletes and coaches in Canada. We're so grateful for that support.

Canadian Heritage committee  Honourable Chair, members of the committee, thank you for the invitation to update you on our preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, South America's first Olympic Games. In 59 days, sporting fans from across the world will focus on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as our lead athletes pursue their dreams of standing atop the podium.

Canadian Heritage committee  The goal of the Canadian Olympic team is to contend for top 12 in the world in terms of overall medals won. It's an ambitious goal, and given the level of international competition, it will not be easy. So fierce, in fact, is the competition that just a couple of medals can make the difference between coming in 19th or 11th, but we've never been more confident in the ability of our athletes to rise to the challenge.

Canadian Heritage committee  Our preparation includes familiarization events to help acclimatize athletes and coaches to the actual games environment. By the time we arrive in Rio for the games, we will have sent 30 of 35 sports to familiarize themselves with the competition venues in general and the Rio environment they will be competing in during these games.

Canadian Heritage committee  Of course.

Canadian Heritage committee  Of course. I don't have enough time to explain all of that, but I'll point you to two things quickly. First of all, in reference to when we were together in May, we have an outstanding and world-leading reputation in the area of education with our Canadian Olympic school program.

Canadian Heritage committee  Certainly, separate from the investments that we're making in our athletes, in both a targeted and non-targeted fashion, from the COC's perspective, the work that is required in the community, as you point to, the important work that our athletes can represent, is space that we've taken up at the Canadian Olympic Committee in the last couple of years.

Canadian Heritage committee  It is incredible. Reference was made to the Atlantic provinces. Of course, after 2010, we took our hall of fame and celebration of excellence right out to Moncton, but we didn't stop in Moncton. We were in Halifax visiting the CFB. We were at mile one of the Terry Fox run. We stopped in Charlottetown, P.E.I. with Heather Moyse in her middle school.

Canadian Heritage committee  It's absolutely the right question. As the Olympic movement, we have the wonderful platform of the values that the rings represent. While our high-performance athletes around the country have a chance to serve as great representatives of this country, and have a great chance to serve as symbols of national pride, they also have a very powerful platform to engage the youth of this country, as has been said several times already today.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Gill. As Marcel has mentioned several times, the focus that we've had in the last couple of years with the private sector has been to go out and really build on the Vancouver story and talk about all the wonderful momentum our athletes and coaches in sports gathered up in that moment in time, and to literally take it back into the private sector as a story of success, as one of excellence, as one that can stand for a symbol for the country and for the Canadians it represents.

Canadian Heritage committee  I would only add that the work we do in the lines of the business is significant, and it has been for some time. Going back to early days, as I joined the COC, I met with Ian Troup and his team early on. My team has continued to work closely, both on the sports side, working closely with Bob O'Doherty and his team.

Canadian Heritage committee  I would only add that, from the perspective of Canada Olympic House, that was one part of an overall strategy, which was to connect Canadians to our athletes. You've seen some of the video that we've shared today. Much of that result was a really strong effort to start to tell our athletes' stories in a meaningful way in the time leading up to the games, and then to continue to work with all of our partners and with the media, of course, to connect the athletes to Canadians.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Monsieur Dubé. I would say, as has been offered a couple of times already, if athletes are at the core of our brand, then naturally you want to have that experience involved in your business, and we do. So separate from the things that Charmaine has mentioned, certainly Veronica Brenner, Isabelle Charest, and Tania Vincent are all key members of our staff at the Canadian Olympic Committee.