Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Good morning. I'd like to thank the members of this committee for inviting me to speak today. With me to take part in the discussion is Lane MacAdam from Sport Canada. Marcel Aubut and Caroline should be joining us any minute. They are on their way.
Like most Canadians, I love sport. I believe it is part of our culture and part of our identity. It has the ability to bring us closer together and instill national pride.
In my role as the Minister of State for Sport, I have been lucky to spend my time supporting our elite athletes on the field, rinks, and hills across Canada. It is incredible to watch the determination and pride that wearing the maple leaf brings to our athletes.
In 80 short days, sporting fans from across the world will focus on Sochi, Russia, as our elite athletes pursue their dream of standing atop the podium.
As we sit here today, our Canadian athletes are in the final stages of preparing to give their everything at the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. This is a good time to discuss how ready we are and how well we expect to do.
Our government does not shy away from our record investment in sport. Through Sport Canada, our government is working to ensure that our Canadian athletes have the tools they need to reach their goals in the pursuit of sporting excellence.
Since being elected, our government has been working with our partners to provide our athletes with a strong support system that includes access to high-quality training environments and world-class coaching. The government is also working with national sport organizations to create opportunities to host international competitions on home soil, helping our athletes concentrate on training to achieve their podium dreams.
The Government of Canada supports Canada's sport system and our athletes with an investment of nearly $200 million a year through Sport Canada's three key programs: the sport support program, the hosting program, and the athlete assistance program.
Since coming to office, our government has invested nearly $990 million in the Canadian high-performance sport system, making the Government of Canada the largest single contributor to sport in the country. I would also like to point out that this funding represents an increase in support to the Canadian sport system of 52% since our government has come to office.
This support has allowed Canada to emerge as a leading sport nation. It has provided our athletes access to cutting-edge sport science and research, it has allowed our athletes a world-class training environment, and it has allowed our athletes to receive the best coaching in the world.
Our government has invested over $153 million into winter sport over the last four-year winter sport cycle. This is an increase of over $25 million, or a 20% increase, since the last four-year cycle prior to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Furthermore, this would be an increase of 112% since the four-year cycle prior to the 2006 Winter Games in Torino.
Our government wants to ensure that no stone is left unturned and our athletes are able to do what they do best: win.
The sport support program is our primary funding vehicle to support Canada's national sport organizations, Canadian sport centres, and multi-sport service organizations. The annual budget of more than $140 million funds initiatives to encourage sport participation and programs for high-performance athletes, and it includes targeting funding to help our athletes fulfill their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
While our government is working with our partners to allow our athletes to succeed, we're also working to ensure that Canadian athletes are competing fairly and clean.
I recently announced Sport Canada's annual funding to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport to fund anti-doping initiatives such as athlete testing and an anti-doping hotline. In 2013-14 this will amount to an investment of $5.9 million.
The hosting program supports the efforts of Canadian communities to host such international sport events as the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver and the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games, which will take place in the greater golden horseshoe region.
Hosting these sport events in Canada benefits our athletes, inspires Canadians, creates jobs and economic opportunities in the host communities, and leaves a legacy of improved sports infrastructure. Our athletes gain valuable competition experience on home soil and benefit from new and improved facilities that allow them to train further and prepare to win for Canada at international competitions, including the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
Finally, I would like to highlight for the committee that our government is providing direct funding to our top athletes, to help with their living and training expenses as well as post-secondary education. This allows them to concentrate on their athletic training. Through this program, we are providing $28 million every year to support more than 1,700 athletes. It is the largest source of direct financial assistance to athletes in Canada, helping our athletes to train full-time in the lead-up to the Sochi Winter Games.
Alexandre Bilodeau, Maëlle Ricker, and Josh Dueck are just three of the well-known athletes benefiting from this program. As you will no doubt remember, Alexandre became the first Canadian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal right here in Canada, at the 2010 Winter Games. It was the first of the record 14 gold medals for our Olympians that year. And the 19 medals earned by our Paralympians in Vancouver showed the world that our athletes can compete with the very best.
As Canadians, we are proud of our country's success as a leading sport nation. That is why, as a government, we are proud to support our athletes and help them achieve their podium dreams. Their success inspires us all, including our future Olympians and Paralympians.
l'm pleased to report that in the four years leading up to the games, our government has done as much as it could to help our athletes and teams reach the podium in Sochi. We are working, and will continue to work, closely with the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and Own the Podium to ensure that our funding is putting Canadians atop the podium.
In just a few months, Canada's best winter sports athletes will compete against the world's best, and Canada has ambitious goals for success. Our Olympic athletes have set a high goal for themselves, hoping to achieve the top spot in the overall medal count. Our Paralympians are determined to finish in the top three in the gold medal count.
The 2014 Sochi Winter Games promises to be an exciting event for all Canadians. It is an opportunity to promote our culture and our values of openness and fair play. It is a chance to affirm our reputation as a leading sport nation. It is an occasion to come together as Canadians to support our athletes in their pursuit of excellence.
l will now be pleased to respond to any questions you have.
Thank you. Merci.