First, Mr. Chair, as the Secretary of State for Sport it is my responsibility to report to all members that the Senators are behind 3-2, but my officials tell me that of course we are a third period team and we are sure we are going to be successful.
I thought I saw the member playing soccer with the House pages the other day and I thought he played a pretty good game.
I thank the member for bringing up the issue of coaching and the role that coaches play in the lives of the athletes. I think it is especially important to note the importance of coaching in the lives of our younger athletes and those youths who are just becoming involved in sport or just starting to participate in physical activity.
The role of the coach in today's sport environment goes beyond the teaching of skills and now includes nutrition and overall well-being. A good coach has a tremendous impact on an athlete's outlook on life and on the athlete's attitude in terms of acquiring a healthy sense of competition.
Canada's new government recognizes the importance and the contribution of coaches. Its significant investment in coaches ensures that Canadian athletes have access to quality and innovative instruction in coaching, from learning their sport to achieving the podium.
Competency based coach education and improving working conditions for coaching are of course two ways to strengthen the important role that coaches play.