Mr. Speaker, I move that the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented on Wednesday, June 19, be concurred in.

I am rising today to speak to a subject that is at the very heart of our society, and that is safe sport in Canada. Unfortunately, what we are seeing is a broken system that has been allowed to deteriorate over the past three decades.

This debate was launched by the motion I introduced here in the House of Commons about Hockey Canada's actions as part of a reported cover-up of an alleged gang rape by players on the Canadian hockey team in 2018, which was brought to light by an article penned by journalist Rick Westhead. I wanted to start a dialogue on the importance of safety in sports by encouraging us to listen to athletes' experiences with a view to keeping them safer and enhancing their well-being. Numerous experts have shined a light on the systemic problems, and I felt it was important to examine these issues at a higher level. I have led the charge on this, focusing on the need for a review as part of an independent public inquiry, which strikes me as the only solution.

Despite two years of study at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, despite the open letters, from gymnasts in particular, despite testimony from many athletes in over 16 sports, including water polo, swimming, soccer, kayaking, rowing, sailing, track and field, curling, fencing, speed skating, figure skating and boxing, and testimony from Canadian Hockey League players who were sexually abused, not to mention articles written by journalists like Rick Westhead, we have seen inaction and lip service, but little in the way of concrete results on the part of this government. The government's do-nothing approach in the face of these issues is alarming, and I am here to draw attention to the situation.

Recommendation 20 in the report calls for the launching of an independent public inquiry. We must get to the bottom of this. An independent public inquiry is still and definitely needed to delve deeply into the systemic problems affecting Canadian sports. We must understand these abuses and shortcomings that have arisen and persisted for such a long time. The inquiry's scope must not be limited to individual cases, but rather extend to the governance structures that have allowed these deficiencies to arise.

It is essential that athletes, coaches and all other people involved in sports be free to testify without fear of reprisals, including financial ones. Such an approach is needed to restore trust and ensure that concrete measures are put in place to protect those who dedicate their lives to sport in pursuit of their passion. Ignoring the call for an inquiry remains a serious mistake and encourages continued indifference toward problems that deeply affect our society. I would remind members that the launching of an independent public inquiry was favoured by over 95% of witnesses, including the Canadian Olympic Committee and the organization Own The Podium, which spoke out in favour of such an inquiry.

I would like to raise an important point about the future of sport in Canada commission, much trumpeted by the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity. I want to make it clear that this voluntary commission is merely an advisory body, with no real authority to make significant changes. We must not be misled by the minister's empty words on this small-minded initiative. Instead of taking concrete measures to fix the pressing problems facing us, the government seems content to pursue this sham voluntary consultation.

What is more, the fact that the minister has announced that she will not be seeking re-election sends a troubling signal. This decision simply reinforces the idea that her commitment to sports was merely a means of playing out the clock, with no genuine desire to resolve the issues we are concerned about. If the government truly wishes to advance sports in Canada, it must stop hiding behind hollow speeches and take bold decisions. We need strong leadership and concrete initiatives, not some phony commitment. It is as though the minister had been installed to protect her own system.

It is also important to recall that the minister had the power to better align, through legislative means, safety issues in sports with questions of justice, coercion and grooming of athletes. Instead, for a year and a half we have had radio silence, and that is troubling. It is imperative that we discontinue mediation in cases where the events in question amount to criminal abuse. The safety of our athletes, especially child athletes, must trump any other consideration.

We must reinforce the message that it is essential to report these instances of abuse to law enforcement. Sports must be a safe space for all, and abusive behaviour must not be trivialized or concealed. Victims must feel supported when they report this behaviour, rather than being forced into silence by procedures that leave them vulnerable. It is incumbent upon the government to protect children in sports, and that starts with tangible, legislative action that reflects a genuine commitment to their safety. Ignoring these issues is not just negligence, but a danger to our collective future—hence the urgent need for a truly independent public inquiry.

It is alarming that when cases of abuse were reported to Sport Canada, departmental officials did nothing for years. There was no follow-up or investigation within the community. That is unacceptable. This lack of an active response not only exposes the victims to situations of ongoing vulnerability, but it also sends a horrible message on the culture of impunity that seems to be prevalent in sports. That message is all the more troubling because we discovered, thanks to the study by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, whose report we are debating today, that certain national sports bodies accessed funds to cover up cases of abuse. This practice raises serious ethical concerns, as was shown by Hockey Canada and Soccer Canada. This behaviour reinforces the perception that these organizations are more concerned about their image than about the safety of their athletes.

We also learned that they had shelved reports commissioned by independent third parties, reports that pointed to safety and abuse problems. When something is not in their interest, they put it on a shelf to gather dust. How can we hope for true societal change if this information is ignored and set aside? There is no mechanism for monitoring this practice, opening the door to a culture of silence in national sports bodies. This has to stop. We need total transparency and clear accountability mechanisms to ensure that all instances of abuse are not just reported, but treated with the seriousness they deserve.

In the face of these serious deficiencies, we called on the Auditor General of Canada to familiarize herself with the file and conduct an in-depth examination of Canadian sport policy. This is essential if we are to ensure that the systemic problems facing us are brought to light and treated appropriately. An independent analysis will not only assess the effectiveness of existing measures, but will also make concrete recommendations on how to enhance safety and integrity in the sports world.

It is high time that we take these issues seriously and act on a factual basis. The investigation by the Auditor General, as called for in recommendations 3 and 7 of this report, can also be leveraged to encourage the government to adopt necessary reforms and implement rigorous monitoring mechanisms. We need truth, not half measures. Public trust in our sport organizations depends on our ability to confront these realities head-on and to commit to building a better future for our athletes and our young people.

The Minister of Sport and Physical Activity played a key role in designing Canada's sports system. She must have the courage and humility to recognize her serious mistakes and commit to making the necessary corrections so that, one day, we will not have to confront the need to remedy these injustices.

How can the former chair of the board of directors of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, or CCES, be objective? Could this be a way of sweeping under the rug the problems in the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, or OSIC?

How can the former adviser to the director general of Sport Canada deliver reforms on measures that she herself put in place? How can she justify all those trips around the world she took on the taxpayer's dime, at a time when the sports system was in such bad shape?

How was the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity able to award an untendered contract for CCES to take over the OSIC without any prior analysis? She is the architect and guardian of what has gone wrong in sports for some 20 years and of this culture of silence that protects the perpetrators rather than the victims.

I would also like to address the financial challenges and problems of access and inclusion in the sports community. The government promised investments, but where did this money really go? Budget cuts to sports programs, both provincially and nationally, had devastating consequences. Amateur sports clubs, schools and sports associations are on the front lines of this crisis.

There are also glaring regional inequalities. While large cities get new infrastructure, rural communities like those in Abitibi—Témiscamingue are still fighting for basic facilities. Young people in these regions are being left behind and are denied access to potentially transformational sports. To ignore these inequalities is to sacrifice the future of our young people and maintain the inequalities.

Let us talk now about access and inclusion. Sports should be a universal right, but in reality it is a privilege for only some. Registration fees, equipment costs and travel expenses for athletes and their families are barriers that many cannot overcome. While the government talks about inclusion, youth from underprivileged communities are left watching from the sidelines.

Moreover, minorities and persons with disabilities are often invisible in our sports programming. We hear the talk about equity, but the figures speak for themselves. Very few actual initiatives have been put in place to ensure that everyone gets to play. The government's indifference to these issues is unacceptable.

An article in La Presse is timely. I presented the case of Témiscamingue to the office of the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity. People do not have access to a swimming pool within a 100-kilometre radius, and government programs are not adapted to the reality of remote communities.

Let us turn now to governance. Sports federations must be models of transparency and integrity, but that is not the case. In the study carried out after my motion was adopted, we saw harassment and mistreatment scandals within these organizations, and we learned that the government took no concrete measures. It is high time to demand accountability. Media pressure and public indignation have done more to change the system than the minister herself has done.

The performance-at-all-costs culture cannot justify the sacrifice of athletes' well-being. The government's lofty words are no longer enough. We need concrete action to reform the system and to ensure a safe, respectful environment for our athletes. Failure to act now will open the door to further abuses.

Besides, should sports in Canada not fall under Health Canada, which aims to promote healthy living, rather than Canadian Heritage?

How to justify the presence of coaches with active criminal records at the Paris Olympics and the Coaching Association of Canada's failure to react? How to explain the drone scandal, the only scandal at the Paris Olympics? This sowed doubt among some athletes, who had to bear the brunt of complaints from the other teams.

How to explain the fact that Own the Podium still imposes its choice of coach for Canada's women's soccer team? What about the cost overruns of the Canadian competitions for FIFA 2026? This will be a scandal for Canada. How much has the federal government spent to ensure security for these events? The Liberal government will not even be there to defend itself.

Can the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity rise and tell us that all of the national sports organizations will make changes to the membership of their board of directors and meet the criteria for receiving support from Sport Canada as announced in May 2023?

Can the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity assure us that Soccer Canada and Hockey Canada have no confidentiality agreements concerning reports of abuse, mistreatment or toxic environments? What is the situation within Gymnastics Canada?

Do all our national sports organizations have a firm serving as an independent third party, which was itself at the centre of the abuse and cover-ups? Can the minister explain what kind of scrutiny she has exercised over the wrongdoing, abuse and complaints from athletes who make their way through the sport system along with the judicial system? How many misdeeds have not been reported to the police?

Fortunately, today, outside the realm of Sport Canada and this minister, sport is often seen as a matter of national pride, and far less in terms of health and wellness. I need to point that out. We celebrate our athletes' success on the world stage, but we should not ignore the real problems in the sports community. Athletes should not be seen as mere commodities, as tools to enhance our image and boost national pride. This utilitarian vision exposes our youth to all sorts of abuse, whether physical, psychological, emotional or financial.

By prioritizing performance over well-being, we are creating an environment conducive to abuse, where victims' voices are silenced, and where athletes' physical and mental health are often sacrificed on the altar of victory.

Athletes, especially the young and vulnerable, should feel supported and protected, yet their value is reduced to the medals and trophies they can win for us. We are neglecting the true benefits of sport, namely, personal development, team spirit, sportsmanship, the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits and pushing one's limits.

We need to shift our discourse when it comes to sports. Instead of focusing solely on performance, we need to promote sport as a vector for health, inclusion and personal development. That is how we will protect our athletes and offer them a secure and fulfilling future.

Lastly, it is imperative that we reform the governance of our sports federations. We need to implement mechanisms for transparency and accountability. These are not promises, but systemic changes needed to restore the trust of our athletes and our constituents.

Also, who in our sports organizations are legally and ethically responsible for ensuring athletes' safety and wellness? This fundamental question has yet to be answered and deserves urgent attention. Sports federations, clubs and the government have a role to play in protecting those who dedicate their life to pursuing their passion. It is high time we took a look at the reasons why we keep avoiding this crucial subject. Having the courage to look back at the past 20 years of wilful blindness is a necessary step in understanding how we got here, which is why we need an independent public inquiry.

We need to acknowledge that, in Canada, the government does not take its responsibilities seriously. It is unacceptable that there could have been abuse without concrete measures being taken to prevent it. Our laws and policies must be adapted to establish clear standards on safety and well-being. Organizations must be held accountable for their actions, as well as for their failure to act. We need to commit to change. As long as we continue to turn a blind eye, we will imperil the future of our sports and the safety of our athletes.

We also need to encourage private companies to invest in community sports, but never to the detriment of ethics. Sponsors should have no influence over the decisions made by sports federations or clubs. We need a clear regulatory framework to make sure that sporting values such as fairness remain paramount.

Lastly, it is imperative that we reform the governance of our sports federations. We need to put mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and accountability. These are not promises, but systemic changes needed to restore the trust of our athletes and fellow citizens. This includes the creation of independent ethics committees to investigate complaints and scandals.

In conclusion, we cannot remain passive in the face of these problems. Indifference is not an option. The government's rhetoric is no longer sufficient. We need concrete measures, commitment and determination.

Change is possible, but it depends on our collective will to question the status quo. I encourage my colleagues to act, to take a stand and to ensure that every young person, regardless of their position, has an opportunity to dream, play and fulfill their potential through sport.

I would like to conclude by thanking the key players in this study, which, I would point out, took almost two years. I would like to thank Jessica, Kim, Rob, Kristin, Amélia, Ryan, Kelly, Randy, Whitney, professors Ross and McFarlane, Judge Aquilina, Judge Cromwell, Melanie, Sylvain, Janine, Quinn, Sophie, Christine, Andrea, Kiara, Myriam, the members of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, the members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the former minister of sport, now the Minister of Canadian Heritage. As a point of interest, on May 11, she herself, as Minister of Sport, on behalf of the federal government, undertook to conduct an independent public inquiry into sport. Unfortunately, since she was promoted to Canadian Heritage, her successor has ignored the clear will of the witnesses in the study.

I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Amélie, my parliamentary assistant, as well as to Jean-François. I would also like to thank some of my parliamentary colleagues. Exceptionally, I will cite their first names: Andréanne, Kirsty, Peter, the members of the Conservative party, including their critic Richard, and the Liberals, in particular Adam. I thank them for their collaboration. I think that we made significant progress together. However, there is still much to be done.

Sébastien Lemire

$598,008.00