Vital Role of Physical Activity and Sport
Inquiry--Debate Concluded
May 5, 2026
Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of our colleague the Honourable Yonah Martin, who asked me to deliver her speech for this inquiry.
These are her words:
Honourable senators, I am honoured to contribute to this important inquiry on the role of physical activity and sport in enhancing our well-being, strengthening our communities and shaping the Canadian experience.
I wish to thank Senators M. Deacon, McBean and Petitclerc for their stewardship of this discussion. Their leadership serves as a poignant reminder that sport is far more than recreation; it is a powerful thread woven into the fabric of our national identity.
Sport reflects who we are as Canadians: resilient, hopeful and united. It bridges the vast distances of our geography and the diverse backgrounds of our people, creating moments of shared pride that resonate long after the stadium lights have dimmed.
In February 2026, we witnessed this spirit ignite on the world stage. At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, Team Canada demonstrated an astonishing consistency, securing 21 medals — 5 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze. This marks the sixth consecutive Winter Games where our nation has reached the 20-medal threshold — a testament to a sustained culture of excellence.
Our Paralympians furthered this legacy, bringing home 15 medals — 3 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze. Their performances were not merely displays of athletic prowess but masterclasses in perseverance and the triumph of the human spirit.
From the frozen speed skating ovals to the steep Alpine slopes, these athletes did more than compete; they beckoned us together. Families gathered in living rooms, classrooms erupted in cheers and communities rallied behind a shared sense of Canadian pride. We celebrated not only those who reached the podium but every athlete who wore the Maple Leaf with honour and pride.
Honourable senators, these achievements do not happen in isolation. Behind every athlete stands a network of support — coaches, parents and communities — whose contributions are too often unseen, but essential.
Coaches are the architects of character, moulding not just the athlete but the citizen.
Parents are the silent engines of the sports system, defined by the “predawn ritual” — the early mornings, the long drives through snowstorms and the quiet financial and emotional sacrifices that form the bedrock of a child’s dream.
We saw the power of this collective effort during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. Those 17 days in my beautiful home province of British Columbia remain etched in our collective memory. From the first medals by Jennifer Heil and Alexandre Bilodeau in freestyle moguls to Sidney Crosby’s golden goal and the dominance of our women’s hockey team — those unforgettable moments at the Vancouver Olympic Games created national moments of pride, joy and belonging.
That legacy endures because it speaks to something deeper: sport’s ability to unite us, to lift us and to remind us of who we are.
Sport has deeply informed my own journey. As a former athlete — and I emphasize “former” with a touch of nostalgia — my youth was measured out in seasons. From January to December, I lived on courts, fields and tracks.
My parents, like many Korean immigrants, placed a paramount value on education. Participation in sports was a privilege I had to earn by maintaining rigorous grades. This taught me a fundamental lesson early on: Discipline is not compartmentalized. The focus required to excel in the classroom was the same focus required to train in the rain when no one was watching. Perseverance is forged in those unseen moments, long before the first whistle blows.
I see this same resilience in my own office. My parliamentary affairs advisor, Mikhail Choi, joined my team in 2025, but his journey began on the ice. In 2010, Mikhail became the junior world short track champion in the 500 metres — the first Canadian male to hold that title in over a decade.
But the true measure of Mikhail’s story is not found in his gold medal. It is found in Courmayeur, Italy, in 2011, where a devastating ankle injury threatened to end his career. But instead of walking away, he chose to adapt. With determination and courage, he transitioned to long track speed skating, relearning his craft and earning a place on the Canadian long track speed skating national team as he continued to chase his Olympic dream.
Though he narrowly missed Olympic qualification, the discipline he honed on the ice transitioned seamlessly into his service on Parliament Hill.
His story reminds us that the true impact of sport is not measured in medals but in the character it builds long after competition ends.
Unlike athletes in professional sports, amateur athletes like Mikhail represent the heart of Canadian sport and amateur sport more broadly. They train without recognition, compete without certainty and sacrifice without guarantee of reward. Their motivation is not fame or financial gain but a deep love of sport and a commitment to excellence.
In many ways, they embody the values we seek to uphold as a country: resilience, humility and perseverance.
Honourable senators, we must recognize that sport is a vital component of public policy. It intersects with health, education, and social Arctic and northern development.
Yet we must be candid: Participation is not yet a universal right. Barriers of cost, geography and representation still persist. The preliminary findings of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission are clear: We must move toward a system where athlete well-being is fundamental and where community sport is recognized as the essential foundation of high performance.
Our responsibility in this chamber is to champion policies that bridge these gaps. We must ensure that a child in a rural community or a newcomer in an urban centre has the same access to the transformative power of play as those in our most affluent postal codes.
To the athletes of 2026: You are the authors of our national narrative. Whether you returned with a medal or the quiet satisfaction of a personal best, you have strengthened the fabric of Canada. To the coaches, families and volunteers: You are the heartbeat of this movement. As this speech finds its way into the archives of our history and the hands of our athletes, let it serve as a promise. It is a promise that this Senate — and this nation — will continue to support you, not just during the Olympic cycle but also in every “unseen moment” that leads to the starting line. Go Team Canada! Thank you.
Honourable senators, before Senator Deacon speaks, I want to say a few words to this bill, which I fully support. I was going to speak on this months ago but I didn’t, so I want to say a few words.
Gambling has changed so much in this country. I’m not a big fan of gambling, and when I was a young boy in the 1960s, I remember my father coming home with a lottery sweepstakes ticket in his pocket. You would have thought it was a bag of heroin that he was walking around with. Gambling was really looked down upon for good reason. It is terribly addictive. I have noticed in the last few years that gambling has taken over hockey broadcasts in this country. I hear from my own sons about how they find it intrusive and offensive, and it is.
It’s terribly addictive, and a lot of young people are caught up in this. Young boys, in particular, watch a lot of hockey games.
Senator McBean, are you rising on a point of order?
I don’t know exactly how to do this point of order. Your Honour, is it appropriate to indicate that this isn’t a bill but rather an inquiry into the value of sport and what it gives to Canadians? It’s not an inquiry into gambling. Is that appropriate to say?
Thank you, Senator McBean. It is an inquiry. I believe that the senator misspoke. Maybe he wanted to mention that it was an inquiry? And if that is the case, I think he can continue his speech.
I realize it is not about gambling, but I wanted to put this on the record because it has been discussed here. I wanted to put something on the record on this, so I have done so. When it comes to gambling in this country and the promotion of gambling, I encourage that when this does come to a final conclusion sometime, we must keep in mind how much this affects sport and the people who watch sport.
Honourable senators, I want to inform the Senate that if the Honourable Senator M. Deacon speaks now, her speech will have the effect of closing the debate on this inquiry, pursuant to rule 6-12.
Honourable senators, since we opened up this inquiry on December 4, it has been wonderful to listen to each of you share and offer insights into your past and present as it relates to community, family, sport, health and your own personal pursuits.
Thank you for being vulnerable and open. I think senators will agree with me that we now know a little bit more about each other.
We are thrilled about the 18 senators who chose to speak about the value of sport while we enjoyed the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Arctic Winter Games. On behalf of Senator McBean, Senator Petitclerc and me, thank you. We watched and cheered for Canadian athletes and coaches as the Olympics and Paralympics in Milano Cortina stole our hearts and had us watching at crazy hours while glued to the edge of our seats. Our athletes made us proud and made us cheer loud. For me, it was particularly special to cheer on Team Canada in a packed gymnasium in Yellowknife and then to support our Paralympians with hundreds in Whitehorse when the Yukon hosted the Arctic Winter Games in March — they were incredible games that celebrated sport, tradition, culture and history in a way I have never seen. From the Arctic Winter Games, today I proudly wear this pin with the number 91. This number refers to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action No. 91, which is that when we plan games and have sporting events, we must make sure that Indigenous territorial protocols are respected and Indigenous communities are involved in all aspects of planning and participation.
I’m very proud of that work being done.
The intention behind this inquiry was to create space for colleagues to share their experiences in sport and physical activity and its impact and role in building communities and this nation. We shared what sport meant in our lives as well as with our families and in our communities. I would like to take a few minutes to look back on what we learned from you. We heard time and time again that sport is more than competition. It brings Canadians together across languages, religions, cultures and beliefs.
We heard how sport builds community and acts as social infrastructure, particularly in communities that are rural, northern or remote.
We heard, for instance, about how sport is the foundation of social life in Senator Aucoin’s community of Cape Breton, but the impact of sport is starkly evident not only on the playing field but also in our living rooms and crowded city streets, cheering on Canadian athletes as they compete on the world stage. The Olympics and Paralympics brought us together around our shared identity as Canadians and around our pride for those who wear the maple leaf and represent us so well. This is the power of international sporting events.
We heard all about it in Senator Al Zaibak’s speech as he and his family — as newcomers to Canada — celebrated the Olympic victory of the Canadian women’s hockey team in 2002.
They felt a part of the collective of Canadians cheering and celebrating on the streets. I would like to remind this chamber of his words because they were so powerful. He told us:
. . . sport gave our family a team to cheer for before we fully knew the language. It gave us somewhere to belong before we had the words to say so.
Colleagues, we also heard about the pride athletes feel at the fact that they give Canadians something to cheer about.
I’m thinking of Senator McBean’s gratitude toward the couple who had just become Canadian citizens, and following the Barcelona Olympics, they thanked her for giving them something to cheer for in their new home. I’m also looking back to Senator Petten’s speech when she told us about Liam Hickey, a Paralympic ice hockey player from her province, who is proud to wear the Newfoundland and Labrador coat of arms on his sleeve.
We also heard that sport has profoundly shaped many of the people sitting in this very chamber. The recently retired Senator Smith recounted a heartbreaking Grey Cup loss to the Edmonton Eskimos during his time as a CFL player for the Montreal Alouettes — an experience that taught him to accept failure and, perhaps even more importantly, the importance of learning from it. For Senator David Wells, high-altitude mountaineering taught him the importance of preparedness, resilience and humility.
Senator Moncion talked to us about her active lifestyle, which includes skating, running, swimming and cycling, and how it has taught her to value hard work and perseverance. Colleagues, no matter what sport it is or what level it is practised at, we have heard on so many occasions throughout this inquiry that sport builds lifelong skills: discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership and courage despite fear and uncertainty. In many ways, it has shaped the determined, capable and effective people who sit in this chamber today.
And since the hats we wear in this chamber are those of legislators, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that we heard — overwhelmingly — that sport and physical activity are not simply recreation. They are policy. We heard from Senator Kutcher that physical activity is health policy.
Being active is linked to improved mental health, increased social connection and reduced stress. In short, from Senator Kutcher we heard, “. . . what is good for the bicep is good for the brain.” And if I may, Senator Kutcher, we thank you. I miss you already and wish you the very best. Senator McBean told us that sport is social policy: It builds confident, resilient leaders and strengthens communities. And in my own speech, we heard that sport and physical activity are economic policy. Colleagues, sport is a massive economic driver. The upcoming FIFA World Cup, for instance, is projected to give Canada’s economy a $2‑billion boost.
What was also loud and clear throughout the speeches is that we cannot harness the benefits of sport and physical activity alone. Rather, athletes are the products of the people and the communities around them. As a former educator, Senator Petitclerc’s story about the impact that a former gym teacher had on her life resonated deeply. Refusing to give up on her after her accident, he introduced her to swimming — a sport that changed her life. She has never slowed down.
It reminds me of the kindness shown to me by my coach when he did not charge me fees he knew I could not pay. Beyond the coaches, we heard so much about parents and volunteers, who make it all possible by coordinating logistics, driving athletes to early-morning practices and staffing big events such as the Canada Games.
Let us not forget that, among the many hats that Senator Loffreda has worn, one is that of a soccer dad, having served as the president of the Montreal-Concordia Elite Soccer Club.
At the same time, we heard about the ways that sport gives back to our communities. Major sporting events build facilities that leave enduring legacies in our host communities. Senator Duncan told us, for instance, about the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse, which now welcomes over 3,000 people from the community each day.
Last week, I neglected to list Senator Duncan as a Canada Games medallist. The sport was curling, and the year was 1979.
We heard that sport and physical activity are invaluable. However, as we heard throughout the inquiry, there are also challenges. Our colleagues highlighted that participation is uneven or even declining in several groups: girls, people with disabilities, lower-income families and rural or remote communities. What is most important to highlight is that this lack of participation is not driven by a lack of interest. Rather, it is the product of systemic inequalities in sports infrastructure: a lack of accessible facilities, gender bias and program design that may not be inclusive. At the same time, senators highlighted the importance of inclusive sports in making Canadians feel as if they belong.
Senator Petitclerc spoke to us about Milan, her cousin’s son, and how his involvement in sport has made him feel he belongs — because it allows him to define himself not by his cerebral palsy but rather as an athlete.
Senator Pupatello spoke about the benefits of sport in building self-esteem, self-confidence and positive body image in women. This, colleagues, is the power of sport. But to fully unlock it, we need to make sure that sport and physical activity are accessible to everyone. Reassuringly, progress is under way to make sport more inclusive.
Senator Kristopher Wells pointed to an example when he talked about Pride Tape — a roll of rainbow hockey tape that players could use to indicate that 2SLGBTQIA+ athletes are welcome in sport.
Last week, we heard incredible speeches from Senators Hay, Pate and Cormier. From Senator Hay, we heard a powerful and vulnerable story about how the sports community gathered around her brother when he passed, as well as of the life-saving role running has played in her own life. From Senator Pate, we learned about the role that sports can play in prisons’ rehabilitation and community integration processes. And from Senator Cormier, we heard about the importance of participation above accomplishment: because — and here I quote — “. . . being able to move our bodies in the company of others is the best trophy of all.” Senator Cormier, you have given us a full, on‑ice visual that we will never ever forget.
Just now, we heard Senator Martin’s remarks, delivered with thanks from Senator Ataullahjan, which reminded us of the pride of the Maple Leaf, the magic of hosting the Olympic Games in your own country and the importance of sport in your life.
Thank you, colleagues, for sharing your stories with us. They are important and echo what we have heard about the power and value of sport in all corners of this country.
About halfway through this inquiry, Senators McBean and Petitclerc and our staff sat down with the four-member team of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission. It produced a fulsome report that intends to respond to some of the issues that emerged in this inquiry, exploring ways to build a strong sports system, ensure safe and inclusive support, encourage all Canadians to be active and find ways to make it affordable for all.
On this last point, we were thrilled to hear the recent news in the Spring Economic Update that $755 million will be earmarked for sport. There is a long road ahead of us, but we are so grateful for this generational contribution. The work continues to ensure we support our youth from playground to podium and back.
Allow me to come back to the senators sitting in this chamber. I invite you in advance to think about National Health and Fitness Day on the Hill coming up this June. This is a legacy of the Vancouver Olympics and a bill supported by us in the Senate 10 years ago. National Health and Fitness Day invites all Canadian communities to open their doors to sport and physical activity free of cost. We continue to aspire to be the fittest, most active nation in the world, and we need your support to make it happen. I encourage you, of course, to be active and to bring the same lens you have brought to this inquiry into your communities to ensure they have what they need to live active, healthy lives. I ask you to continue sharing photos with your networks from National Health and Fitness Day.
Over the years, we have enjoyed seeing them. A few highlights: Senator LaBoucane-Benson chopping and hauling wood; Senator Black planting trees; Senator Smith and those intense early-morning workouts at the Château Laurier; Senator Francis’s commitment to physical activity; Senator Pate cross‑country skiing; Senator Greenwood on her long, meditative hikes; Senators Woo and Dean on their long runs; Senator Cormier, my partner on the annual Canada Army Run each September; Senator Boehm, so dedicated to his time in the gym; Senators McBean and Robinson, committed to their weekly workouts; Senators C. Deacon, Coyle and Duncan on those long, speedy walks back to their condos, especially in the middle of wintertime; Senator David Wells with his weekly parliamentary hockey group; Senator Clement with her CIBC Run for the Cure dedication; and Senator Olsen, yes, on the badminton courts.
I am sure there are many more of you who have stories of physical activity to share. Way back in the day, sport was big on Parliament Hill. Imagine the front field and the fields at Rideau Hall, where annual soccer games were held with MPs taking on the House pages. Today, these soccer games happen on Centre Block’s front lawn.
In 1938, the Speaker hosted softball matches on the grounds of Rideau Hall, and games were also played against security and members of the press gallery. In 1948, there was even a House of Commons bowling league.
When I started nine years ago, Yoga on the Hill was great to attend. There were rugby matches in 2012. In 2017, many of you might remember that a huge ice rink was erected on the front hill as part of Canada’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrations.
Colleagues, Parliament Hill has been more than just a political arena: It has been a playing field for camaraderie, community and cause. Please, let’s make sure generations of parliamentarians continue to find time to play, walk and talk together on the Hill.
As I close, I invite you to move your attention to the Commonwealth Games being held this summer in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Chef de Mission Erica Wiebe — an Olympic gold medallist in freestyle wrestling and two-time Commonwealth Games champ — will lead Team Canada into the stadium. A 10-sport program, including 6 fully integrated para sports, will make up these games. That is what is so special about the Commonwealth Games: the combination of able-bodied and para athletes who perform wonderfully together. They will demonstrate unity, diversity and sustainability at the highest of levels.
The King’s Baton Relay for those games comes through Canada this week, stopping in Vancouver, Toronto and Burlington, and a beautiful Indigenous-crafted baton with the King’s Message will make its way to Glasgow.
Next week, the inaugural OneAbility Games open in Richmond, B.C., where 900 young people with disabilities will compete at the Richmond Oval, a legacy facility; and in the PLAY Stream, 300 competitive athletes will be shooting for gold in the national championships for goalball, wheelchair basketball and blind hockey.
As we close this inquiry, there is much to celebrate and think about. On behalf of Senator McBean, Senator Petitclerc and myself, I extend a heartfelt thank you to all who contributed to this inquiry. Sport, activity, competition — whatever you call it — improves lives; it’s as simple as that. Everyone should have equitable access to the field of play. Let’s work to make this possible for all Canadians because, long after the score is forgotten, the person you become is what truly stays.
Thank you, meegwetch.
