I want to thank the minister for being here today.
To all our presenters, thank you very much for your recommendations. They will help us greatly in writing our report on childhood obesity, which is a critical issue facing this country. Thank you also for the public awareness opportunity that this provides us today. A lot of this issue can be combated with education. We're fortunate to have this meeting televised today, and many Canadians will be watching at home. By watching this meeting, parents may think about how they can get their kids to shut off the TV and the computers and get outside to play.
Your message, Ms. Laumann, is certainly a good one.
I would also like to take this opportunity to trumpet the example that you quoted from Rouleau, Saskatchewan, the example of a “play in the school” night. Last year on Wednesday nights, they played in the school, with teachers and parents joining people of all ages. This is in the great riding of Palliser, my riding. It's better known as Dog River, where the hit TV show “Corner Gas” is filmed. I wanted to trumpet that example, and I'll be following up with those people when I get back home.
I think decision-makers must make fitness a priority in our schools. If this message isn't delivered in our report, we will have missed the boat. When I was in elementary school, we had daily physical education. We had intramural sports, which was a big part of being a kid, and some of my fondest memories are of intramural sports at school. I believe I heard the minister hint that he wants to bring back the Canada fitness program, with the different badges—gold, silver, bronze. Canadians will remember this from school: the flexed arm hang, endurance runs, and the little relays with bean bags. This was excellent for promoting physical fitness and for getting the kids to play. It was also a way to have more active kids and aspiring Olympians.
In my riding of Palliser, a hot topic is the building of a multiplex fitness facility in Moose Jaw. Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, wants to build this multiplex. It will include a hockey rink, curling rinks, an indoor soccer facility, and a walking track, which will certainly be beneficial in -40 Celsius weather. I know that provincial and territorial ministers met with Minister Chong and also Minister Clement, the Minister of Health regarding the infrastructure deficit that exists in this country. I'm wondering how those discussions are proceeding.
What is your department, the sports department, doing in conjunction with the Ministry of Health to push this issue forward? What is on the horizon in respect of infrastructure funding for health and fitness in Canada?