Evidence of meeting #8 for Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rowan's.
A video is available from Parliament.
As an Individual
I can't comment on the particular app you're referring to.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair (Mr. Robert Kitchen) Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
I just used that as an example. We've heard of other apps that are out there as well.
As an Individual
I know there are software companies out there that have experience in this area. I don't know if I'm allowed to mention any of them in particular.
Conservative
As an Individual
One that came and gave a presentation to the advisory committee was called PRIVIT. They operate now in many jurisdictions in the United States. The idea is that it keeps things confidential and it can go across sports. To me, the key with this is not necessarily the app or the program; it has to be consistent across the board. If you adopt something, then it has to be readable across platforms, or everyone has to buy into a particular mode. Otherwise, the system will break down. There are checks and balances you can put into these things where somebody has to give consent in order to share with another sport organization or whatever. I think those can be built into a system like that.
One of the recommendations that actually came up here is that the government look into something like this—i.e., how to enhance surveillance and data tracking and all of that stuff. One study that I assume will be done as they go through these action items will be to look into something like this, see what they feel might be the best solution to that, and of course take into account the privacy concerns.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair (Mr. Robert Kitchen) Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you very much.
Mr. Longfield.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your compelling testimony. I'm just subbing on this committee, but I'm thinking of other studies I've been involved with. I've also been involved in mental health studies. The developing brain is one thing that has been looked at in different ways. The brains of under-25-year-olds are still developing. Young people are more susceptible to different things relating to the brain, whether it be drugs, addictions or the impacts we're talking about.
Stem cell research is something that Canada is leading in. I'm very interested in the role that the Canadian government can play in facilitating conversations or setting frameworks or setting funding for CIHR or others. This has been asked in other ways today, but I'm thinking of, for instance, the cannabis legislation that we've introduced. We know that the developing brain is still not matching our legislation 100%, but we're trying to get to the 18-year-olds and younger at least with our legislation. That's an example. As well, in our most recent budget we introduced suicide prevention hotlines across Canada. So the federal government gets into those cross-jurisdictional areas where we put a framework together.
It sounds like you have a very solid framework within Ontario. This has been asked in other ways, but is it the framework that we need to look at, first of all? Is it stem cell research opportunities? Is it funding? Is it regulations on the sports equipment that has to be worn under a certain age, such as the head protection gear in boxing or in other areas where you have impacts?
Liberal
As an Individual
I think the framework, the template here, is important because it speaks to so many areas that need to be addressed. If Rowan's Law could be implemented at the federal level and apply to every province and territory, that would be great.
As an Individual
I mean in terms of regulations, in terms of policy, in terms of whatever needs to be put in place to address the issues that are there. When you get into the health issues, the education issues, I don't know if the federal reach can go down to the level that it goes to provincially, other than in terms of influence, and not “This is the way it will be done.”
As far as equipment goes, I hesitate to talk about any kind of equipment with respect to concussion, because of the type of injury that a concussion is. There is nothing out there now, despite the quackery that comes up regarding mouthguards and all this. The other day there was somebody promoting an anti-concussion headband. If you look at the mechanics of this injury, these things are not going to prevent concussion. There isn't a helmet that exists now that's going to prevent concussion. It's going to prevent skull fractures maybe, but there's nothing there, no piece of equipment.... There was a great outcry after Rowan's death: Why wouldn't they wear helmets? It wouldn't have made any difference. There's no point in wearing a helmet. It's not going to stop a concussion. Getting into talking about specific pieces of equipment, to me, is a non-starter; it's a red herring.
What needs to be done is to educate people on “recognize and remove”, to ensure that when an athlete takes a hit, you don't even have to do the medical assessment. If you have a feeling that the person might have a concussion, they're off the field; they're off the ice; they're out of the game until a doctor says they're okay to come back.
As an Individual
If you have an athletic trainer on the sideline or somebody.... That's another area that I think needs to be pursued, having athletic trainers at events, at games. These people are trained to make that recognition and those decisions and to ensure that athletes are taken care of properly.
To me, the key is to have all the people in the area—the coaches, trainers, parents, athletes and officials—being able to say that it might be a concussion and that the person has to go off and get taken care of. If it's not a concussion, that's wonderful, but if it is.... Second impact syndrome is what happened to Rowan. She had a third hit before her first two hits had time to heal, and she had the catastrophic event as a result of it. There don't necessarily have to be two hits; it can be one hit beforehand and the next hit is the one that does them in.
To me, really, the keys are education and having the wherewithal and the buy-in from everyone involved so that if any person takes a hit that looks like a concussion event may have happened, they're out until they're cleared.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair (Mr. Robert Kitchen) Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you very much.
Thank you for your statements and for your courage to pursue this and educate. You are doing that as well, because you're educating Canadians on this very aspect. Education, education, education is an important thing, especially in this area, so thank you for that.
I know I speak on behalf of my colleagues here today when I thank you for coming to committee, for your presentation and for answering our questions. It's greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
Conservative
