Thank you, Mr. Nantel.
Clearly, the federal contribution is mostly aimed at national activities, through national federations. However, as Mr. Montopoli would probably confirm, his mandate does not consist only in developing the national team and our Olympic teams. Earlier, we talked about the local team, in Oakville, which produces thousands of young athletes. Those kinds of clubs help athletes get noticed. Young athletes with the talent and abilities needed to reach higher levels are identified. I hope that they receive funding and support, first at the local level, and then at the provincial level. Eventually, they are recognized by the junior national team; they undergo better training, participate in training camps and international competitions and, some day, join the national team.
The development system varies slightly from one sport to another. You have surely heard about the long-term athlete development model, which applies to every sport and helps determine how skilled athletes must be in order to compete at higher levels.
When I started playing soccer, at 10, we played on a large field. Over the course of a 90-minute match, we would touch the ball for about three minutes. However, things are completely different nowadays. The field has been adapted for four-on-four matches. Heavy emphasis is placed on skill development to help those young people get noticed and allow the ones with the required talent and interest to compete for Canada internationally.