Canadian Heritage committee  COVID has impacted our lifestyles. We're in front of screens now more than we ever have been before. We need to be a bit more purposeful in our physical activity, whereas before a lot of our day-to-day physical activity was generated by walking to and from the bus stop or going out for lunch and grabbing a sandwich.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today, and I also appreciate the recognition that our brand has with the committee. Since 1971, ParticipACTION has been working toward a Canada in which physical activity is a vital part of everyday life. As Canada's leading physical activity organization, we deliver innovative engagement initiatives and thought leadership activities to help Canadians be more physically active and less sedentary no matter where they live, work or play.

Health committee  I'm not sure that we're lacking programs. I think there are lots of great programs, and I think the Public Health Agency has invested in significant programs that are demonstrating value. I think what we're lacking is an overall coordinated approach. We have a policy framework that's not being actioned, and I think there is a bit of a disconnect between the federal and the provincial/territorial governments.

Health committee  I think yes, and I guess our proposal is to establish a parliamentary secretary. The Department of Health has a huge mandate. Maybe you're the parliamentary secretary, but you have a lot of priorities on your plate. We have a minister of science and sport, which is related to physical activity but also is very specific on sport, which is what the mandate there is.

Health committee  In every report card that we publish, we focus on a different issue. The purpose and the challenge is to highlight that physical activity benefits many aspects of one's life. If you want to deal with mental health issues of youth, we should be thinking physical activity, in addition to all the other strategies.

Health committee  There is. I don't have it with me, but I can certainly get it to you. There are return-on-investment numbers. Certainly the Conference Board of Canada has done that for adults. The data isn't as vast for children and youth. This is maybe where we don't align with my colleagues here.

Health committee  Well, actually, that commercial was probably the very first one that Participaction developed. Yes, it showed that a 60-year-old Swede was in better shape than a 30-year-old Canadian. We, as part of our report card.... As I mentioned, from a children and youth perspective, 48 countries are now replicating the report card.

Health committee  First of all, just to clarify, the $25 million that Participaction received is not just targeted at children and youth; it's all populations. The second question is interesting, and I mentioned in my notes that internationally we are looked upon for leadership. They take our ideas and they mobilize governments and create investment and implement specific strategies and programs based on a lot of the initial thinking done here in Canada.

Health committee  About 30% of our funding is relied upon from the private sector and through other means. Currently 70% of our funding is through federal or provincial governments. With regard to that point, we're very, very pleased and happy that we were in the 2018 budget for $5 million. We also get about $2 million from Sport Canada, so our total federal contribution is about $7 million.

Health committee  I am too.

Health committee  I think that in my role as CEO, I hear two things: First, where are Hal and Joanne? Are they still part of Participaction? Second, whatever happened to the Canada Fitness Award program?

Health committee  With regard to both of those things, I would say no, we're not planning to bring them back.

Health committee  The Canada Fitness Award program actually wasn't that successful. It actually turned more kids away from physical activity than it turned on. It was very performance-based. We are looking at other programs. With respect to Hal and Joanne, I think the media landscape has changed and our society has changed.

Health committee  We're a national non-profit charitable organization.

Health committee  How many schools have policies that prevent bikes or skateboards from coming to schools? I think that again it comes back to valuing the role that physical activity plays. We need to work with our workplaces to ensure that we have some employee policies that allow parents to maybe start their days later and walk their children to school.