Thank you so much.
Evidence of meeting #68 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was soccer.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #68 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was soccer.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you. That finishes this round. I think we have time for a third round. That's good. We have a few extra minutes floating around here, but I want everyone to try to be as concise as they can. We begin with the third round, and we have the Conservative Party with Rachael Thomas for five minutes.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Okay. Thank you.
I'm curious. The statement was made that you live by a bit of a motto—that you would leave the sport better than when you came into it. If you were to put forward a picture as to what that would look like.... Ms. Schmidt, I understand that you are planning your exit. What does it look like? What does it look like to leave it better than when you came?
4:40 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
There's a huge emphasis for me on the youth, on opportunity. I think it's gotten worse, to be honest, for the youth. There is not as much youth programming. I grew up throughout all ages. They're not there. They have limited camps. The opportunity to play in a pro environment in your home country is still not there. That's something that even Nick Bontis said that he wanted to see when he first started his tenure as president, and there have been no strides made in that direction.
Yes, I feel disheartened that we're not there, but I think this fight is important in making sure we get things right moving forward—and it's not just for this year or for last year. It's about making sure we put things in place so that we're in a stable place 10 years from now. I think that's why we're not fighting for tomorrow or for this World Cup. Yes, that's imminent, but this fight is longer, and I think we need to keep in the backs of our minds that there's still a long way to go. I'm disappointed that it's not better than it is currently, but we're putting up a good fight. I know we have people in our corner and the country's behind us.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
Quinn, I believe it was you who mentioned that the minister reached out and asked what would be helpful in terms of this scenario and figuring things out going forward.
Was any assistance offered once that answer was provided?
4:40 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
I believe there is a potential follow-up of a financial audit happening and, potentially, a look into the governance code.
4:40 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
What would a financial audit look like?
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Yes. What would that look like? How would that benefit you?
4:40 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
It just moves forward with the transparency of our financials that we've been talking about today. With the governance code, it's to make sure there is accountability, from the Sport Canada perspective, for what our association's governance looks like. For the transparency of our financials, that's hugely important, and it's what we've highlighted today.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Do you have a commitment from Sport Canada that it will look into that for you or insist on that audit?
4:40 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
No. I think that's in the process right now. It's in conversation.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
4:45 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
It was my understanding that they're keen to do it.
As we mentioned earlier, I think the conversation about FIFA's potential government interference was what put the conversation on hold, from our perspective. It was to make sure that we understood that we weren't putting our World Cup preparation and our World Cup at risk.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
I'm curious, though. Was there a conversation? Was a letter written? Was a phone call made?
What makes you think or gives you the impression there is going to be some sort of audit or accountability created?
4:45 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
We received the contact information for the minister's office to set up a conversation, and we held back on that conversation. As I said before, we were unsure if that would jeopardize our World Cup because of the FIFA government interference policy.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Tell me more about that. Why would that put you in jeopardy?
4:45 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
FIFA has a policy in place that is essentially to help avoid having players get government involved to overthrow their associations. It's normally associated with smaller associations. The concern that was brought up was that players were directly asking for government to step in to aid in this situation, which was not the case. We had not, as players, asked for government interference.
We held off on replying to the offer from Sport Canada for a financial audit, because the concern was raised by Canada Soccer that if that or something similar were to happen, then potentially we would be kicked out of the World Cup.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry, Rachael, but your time is up.
I will go to Tim Louis for five minutes, for the Liberals.
March 9th, 2023 / 4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Thank you, Chair. I appreciate it.
I appreciate everyone for being here—especially that you're representing a team and coming here together. It's truly inspiring. I think you should hear the word we're all whispering to each other, which is “unbelievable”. That's what we're saying. Your being here is letting an entire nation know what's happening here.
As you leave committee today, I'd like you to be reassured that the courage you've had to stand up until now and the courage you have to stand up today at committee and go public and speak up.... It may be the end of your testimony, but I think you can clearly see that this is just the beginning of a bigger picture. That's something you should already be proud of as we move forward.
I'm going to see if I can get a question in to everyone. I will start with Quinn.
You mentioned in your opening remarks that you don't have enough resources to bring 20 players to camp. You can't do 11-on-11 drills. What kinds of limitations...? How does that make you feel? How can you work around things that you shouldn't have to work around like that?
4:45 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
It greatly impacts our preparation for major tournaments and what the quality of our training looks like.
I'd like to applaud our staff members for how well they play soccer, but I don't think it's at the calibre of our national team. I think it impacts us when we have staff.... It not only takes away from their active role, because they're not able to perform their duties as whatever staff members they are, but also, when they're jumping in on our scrimmages, it's not at the quality that we'd hope for our competition. That's just one example of the way we're impacted.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Maybe I can ask Sophie Schmidt this. You mentioned that you got Own the Podium funding. That's earmarked for the women's team because of the podium potential you have. The women's team has that.
You mentioned in your opening statement that you're feeling this kind of pressure and that you've been told if you don't place in the top three, this funding won't be sustained or could be reduced.
Given what Quinn just said, how do you strike that balance? Someone's saying, “Here are fewer resources, but continue to do well or do even better.” How do you feel about that?
4:45 p.m.
Player Representative, Canadian National Soccer Team, Canadian Players Association
Regardless of funding or that pressure, there's always pressure to be successful. It's part of our job to perform under pressure.
It's not helpful in the sense that we have a men's budget and our budget from CSA, and then COC money tops it off. I'm not going to go into numbers or whatever. The fact is that if we hadn't performed, if we had not been successful at the Olympics, I can't even imagine what would happen to our program or our resources, or how we would function on a year-to-year basis, because they provide so much money to us and are key to our success.
There's a lot of pressure on us, and I think we thrive under pressure, but we also should not be in that position.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
As you said, that's what you do, and that's appreciated, but you should have a level playing field to do that on.
Maybe to Janine Beckie, with respect to Canadian Soccer Business, you said that deal is potentially until 2037, for a fixed amount. Again, if teams make playoffs, as they advance, they get paid more. That's a potential. We haven't seen it yet, but that's something you've helped to raise awareness of. We're going to be looking into this.
Is that right? Was I right that 2037 could be the potential deal if something doesn't change?