Vital Role of Physical Activity and Sport
Inquiry--Debate Continued
February 24, 2026
Honourable Senators, I rise today to add my voice to the inquiry brought forward by Senators Deacon, Petitclerc and McBean, calling the attention of the Senate to the vital role that physical activity and sport play in enhancing our well-being, strengthening our communities and shaping the fabric of the Canadian experience. On behalf of my staff, I would like to extend an additional “thank you” to Senator Deacon. My staff very much appreciated the excuse to watch the Olympics as “research” for this speech these past few weeks.
The timing of this inquiry could not be more fitting: 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Canadian sport. Our athletes have taken and will continue to take to the world stage at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, at the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse and at the FIFA World Cup matches in Vancouver and Toronto — and more, welcoming fans from around the globe. These events remind us that sport is not only about medals or scoreboards; it is about belonging, resilience and the stories we carry with us long after the final whistle.
For a province like Newfoundland and Labrador, sport has always been deeply woven into community life. Even when our athletes are not always visible on international rosters, our connection to sport is no less meaningful. It shows up in school gyms, local arenas, outdoor rinks, community fields and in the quiet determination of volunteers, coaches, parents and mentors who make participation possible.
For these past Winter Olympic Games, a physiotherapist, originally from King’s Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Miriam Lewis, was part of the support team for Canada’s national speed skating team, an important reminder that behind every athlete stands a team of dedicated professionals whose expertise is equally vital to success. I extend my sincere congratulations to the 206 athletes and staff who represented Canada at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, including 107 women who exemplify the strength and progress of Canadian sport. As they competed under the banner of the “true north, strong and free,” they carried the pride of our nation.
I would like to take a moment to highlight the story of Liam Hickey, a proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian Paralympic athlete whose journey exemplifies courage, adaptability and perseverance. Born without a femur in his right leg, Liam found purpose and excellence in para ice hockey, representing Canada on the world stage. Not only a Paralympian at the Winter Olympics, Liam also played for Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. His story is not only about elite sport; it is about inclusion, resilience and the life-changing power of access to physical activity.
Reflecting on his journey and referring to Newfoundland and Labrador, he stated, “It’s extremely special to come from that province . . . . I wear that province on my sleeve wherever I play.”
Honourable senators, it is now seven o’clock. Pursuant to rule 3-3(1), I am obliged to leave the chair until eight o’clock, when we will resume, unless it is your wish, honourable senators, to not see the clock.
Is it agreed to not see the clock?
Some Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Some Hon. Senators: No.
The Hon. the Speaker: I hear a “no.”
Honourable senators, leave was not granted. The sitting is, therefore, suspended, and I will leave the chair until eight o’clock.
Liam’s words capture the deep connection between athlete and community — a bond that fuels perseverance and pride.
Liam began playing competitive Para ice hockey after being introduced to it through Easter Seals in 2006, which is an organization I have worked closely with over the last number of years. I would like to wish him the best of luck at the 2026 Paralympic Games, held between March 6 and 15, as he competes for the third time, and also to A.J. Murley of St. John’s, who joins the team as an equipment manager.
Sport in Newfoundland and Labrador also thrives at the grassroots level. Events such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Games and the Labrador Winter Games bring together youth from across vast and often remote regions, fostering cultural exchange, confidence and lifelong friendships. These games are about far more than competition; they are about identity, pride and community connection.
We have also seen remarkable growth in women’s and girls’ sports, including the establishment of the Exploits Female Minor Hockey Association, which will become the province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s first ever all-girls hockey association.
Additionally, with the arrival of the Newfoundland Regiment hockey club, we are bringing major junior hockey back to St. John’s and allowing local players to skate in front of family, friends and neighbours. These moments matter. They tell young people that their dreams are valid and that excellence does not only belong somewhere else.
As we look beyond provincial borders, Atlantic Canada has given this country some of its most cherished athletes, and their presence on the international stage continues to inspire pride across our region. Through the newly launched All-Atlantic Senators’ Group, I look forward to hearing more stories not only from Newfoundland and Labrador but also from all of Canada’s Atlantic provinces.
For instance, at these most recent Olympic Winter Games, we had the following from Nova Scotia: Blayre Turnbull as part of the women’s silver medal-winning hockey team; Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand on the men’s silver medal-winning hockey team; and Liam Moffatt who participated in some snowboarding events. From New Brunswick, we had Courtney Sarault, the four-time medallist at these past games in short-track speed skating, and Rikki Doak who also participated in short-track speed skating. Of course, from P.E.I., we had Brett Gallant, winning the gold medal with the Canadian men’s curling team.
Honourable senators, sport reflects who we are as a nation: resilient, inclusive and determined. When our athletes compete abroad, they do more than represent themselves. They carry with them the hopes of small towns, northern communities, coastal villages and urban neighbourhoods from coast to coast to coast.
As we share our stories in this chamber over the coming weeks, may we remember that every athlete’s journey is shaped by community support, opportunity and belief. May we ensure that when they visit this chamber, they hear not only our applause but also our gratitude, our pride and our unwavering support for all that they represent.
Thank you.
Honourable senators, each time I have given thought to speaking to an inquiry about the vital role that sport plays in our Canadian lives, unbidden, the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning would pop into my head: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
This is not a deep appreciation for the physique of athletes, no matter the sport, nor is it love for a particular sport, although, honestly, hockey is bred in the bones of almost every Canadian I know. This is a deep-in-your-soul, heartfelt gratitude for everything that sport and the love of sport have given me personally as well as my extended family, but most especially my community and our country.
Senator Marty Deacon, thank you for initiating this inquiry with Senators McBean and Petitclerc. Senator Deacon, you began your remarks by noting that we all have a narrative and a past that influences our actions every day.
My involvement with sport began at a very young age with empty bleach bottles cut in half and filled with some cement, until we were big enough to throw the real curling rocks. One of my favourite curling memories is of the Christmas family bonspiels at the Takhini Curling Club in Whitehorse. The bonspiels began on Boxing Day and required members of the rinks to be related and, of course, communicating with each other.
It must have been a blessing for my mother to have some much-needed peace and quiet with all of us out of the house and at the rink after the rush of Christmas preparations. The prizes in that bonspiel were bags of sugar or flour for each member of the winning rinks. Four 25-pound bags of flour was worth a lot to our family of five children and a St. Bernard when all our groceries came up the Alaska Highway by truck with an added freight bill.
Honourable senators, curling teaches you a lot about communicating with one another, both in your family and on your team. Especially in rural Canada, the curling rink was and, in some cases, still is the community club — the gathering place for young and old. During what was then the Macdonald Brier and the Lassie, in the days before TV reached every community with instant replay and the internet, you would have been hard pressed not to find a dinner table in Canada where the salt and pepper shakers and the water glasses were not being moved around as shots were replayed while sweeping errors or the wrong turn or the lack of ice being called was hotly debated. As a country, Canadians loved the Brad Gushue rink from Newfoundland and Labrador. We were fascinated by the CBC podcast “Broomgate.” And as one, we mourned the loss of Sandra Schmirler and the recent passing of Colleen Jones.
Another curling memory that instilled my love of sport was not a single curling game — one which we lost to Colleen Jones — nor was it winning the bronze medal at the Canada Winter Games in Brandon, Manitoba. It wasn’t the bronze medal — a rarity for Yukon athletes. Beyond the medals were the closing ceremonies when the skip of our team was presented the Canada Games Centennial Cup for Team Yukon. They’re all special memories. The real inspiration, though, was seeing our country uniting in friendly competition with other young Canadians from every province and territory.
One could not speak of the legacy of the Canada Games without recognizing our colleague Senator Larry Smith. Thank you for your commitment to the Canada Games, ensuring a lasting legacy for the athletes, their supporters and their communities. Senator Smith served as the chair of the Canada Games Council from 2001 to 2009, during which the Yukon was awarded the 2007 Canada Winter Games. It was the first time these national games had gone north of the sixtieth parallel. The financial support of the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon made the construction of the Canada Games Centre, or CGC, in Whitehorse possible.
It’s a multi-use facility and vital community infrastructure. Today, more than 3,000 people a day enter the facility. In our small city, that is an amazing testament to the lasting legacy that sports facilities bring to and leave behind in communities.
The ice surfaces at the CGC are the home-ice advantage for that other senator in Ottawa: the “Workhorse from Whitehorse,” Dylan Cozens, and his younger brother Luke who’s playing in the Western Hockey League. In July of last year, The Hockey News listed other Yukoners who use the CGC ice surfaces, including Gavin and Kasey McKenna in the top 20 sister-brother combos in hockey, likely thanks to mom Krystal who’s the coach and their dad who’s well recognized as a skilled player in the old-timers’ league.
The Canada Games facility was not the first legacy facility well used by athletes and their families in Whitehorse. The Mount McIntyre cross-country ski facility was built in 1981 to host the FIS World Cup and North American Championships in cross-country skiing. The membership of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club numbers in the thousands. The popular trails adjacent to the Canada Games Centre are an inspiration for several Yukon Olympians, including most recently for Sonjaa Schmidt in 2026.
Last week, I attended the opening of the expanded biathlon facility in Whitehorse. It is the dedication of volunteers and financial support, again, from the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon, that make these facilities possible. It will provide an enhanced, world-class training facility for our Yukon Olympic biathlete Nadia Moser.
Earlier, I mentioned the parents of athletes. My children were fortunate to participate in the Canada Games. Our daughter swam in P.E.I. at the Summer Games, and our son played hockey in Halifax at the Winter Games. We could devote an entire inquiry to discussing parents and their athletes — some good, some bad.
What I hoped for my children and all the young swimmers and hockey players who still call me “Momma” Pat — because I fed them, which is what is required for our athletes — was that, by engaging in sports, they would learn how to play on a team. All of these young athletes completed the mandatory Respect in Sport program prior to competing. My observation, as I have watched them grow up, is that they have a discipline that ensures they remain physically active, and many, if not most, continue to give back to whatever communities they live and continue to play in.
At the opening of the new biathlon facility, the volunteer President of Biathlon Yukon, Bill Curtis, had this to say about Olympic biathlete Nadia Moser:
Whenever she gets a chance, she’s up here helping the kids out, doing a bit of coaching and just even being there.
Volunteers are at the core of the success of sports across Canada. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Special Olympics movement. More than 40,000 Canadian Special Olympic athletes are supported by another 20,000 Canadians who volunteer their time, skills and talents to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Volunteers truly are the heart of athletic activity in communities everywhere. These volunteers allow both small and large communities to host the Canada Winter Games, the Canada Summer Games and the North American Indigenous Games. It is this volunteer base that will enable Whitehorse to host the forty‑sixth annual Yukon First Nations Hockey Association tournament at the end of March this year. Last year, that hockey tournament included 60 teams and more than 1,000 players from the Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
At the beginning of March, Whitehorse will host the Arctic Winter Games for the seventh time. The Arctic Winter Games arose out of a conversation in 1967 between Cal Miller, who had watched the young Yukon athletes not-so-successfully compete at a Canada Games, and the then-Yukon commissioner — the equivalent of a provincial lieutenant-governor — James Smith, who then spoke with his counterpart in Yellowknife, Stu Hodgson. The two reached out to the former governor of Alaska Wally Hickel, and the Arctic Winter Games were born.
Next month, the fifty-second Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse will host over 2,000 athletes, joined by officials, supporters and special guests. Over 2,000 volunteers will ensure the success of these games.
The Arctic Winter Games are a sporting and cultural event that includes delegations from Greenland, Alaska, northern Alberta, Nunavut, Nunavik in Quebec and the Sami people from Finland, Norway and Sweden. When the illegal invasion of Ukraine ends, the people from Yamal, Russia, can likely anticipate being welcomed back to the games. The Arctic Winter Games bring the circumpolar world together in a unique way. As the theme for this year’s games denotes, it’s “What We’re Made Of.”
Earlier, I mentioned the Yukon being awarded the Centennial Cup at the Canada Winter Games. At each Arctic Winter Games, the Arctic Winter Games International Committee presents the Hodgson Trophy to the contingent whose athletes best exemplify the ideals of fair play and team spirit. The distinctive trophy, donated in 1978 by former Commissioner Hodgson of the Northwest Territories, is a piece of Inuit artwork. Scrimshaw decorates the narwhal tusk that stands as the centrepiece of the trophy, mounted on a soapstone base. A walrus carved into the base wraps itself around the tusk. Near the top, a soapstone bear clings to the tusk, symbolizing “reaching for the top” in competition and fair play.
The significance of the North coming together internationally also brings up the impact of sports tourism, and I will leave that subject to an address in Senator Sorensen’s inquiry.
I noted the legacy of the Canada Games is the athletes and their families seeing our wonderful, great big country and briefly noted the facilities and support of governments.
With the support of the territorial government, Sport Yukon’s Kids Recreation Fund is available to support children of lower-income families who wish to participate in recreational activities, including sports. I am especially grateful to the volunteers who hosted a Western Hockey League exhibition game last September and raised an additional $55,000 to contribute to the fund — yet another demonstration of sport bringing community together and building community.
Sport has built, and continues to build, character in all participants, strong communities and opportunities for friendly competition. It provides an opportunity to see our country, grow in understanding of one another and unite as a country. In the circumpolar world of the Arctic Winter Games, it gives an opportunity to showcase culture and witness the arctic sports that were once skills necessary for survival in the North.
Sport, how do I love thee? To the very depths of my soul for the joy you bring every day when we are personally active and when we observe the next generation experiencing that joy as well.
Most especially, I love and am grateful to sport for the legacy it leaves. In my mind, we are better people, we are better citizens and we build a better Canada with our participation as athletes, as parents and supporters of athletes, as volunteers and as governments that fund and build facilities that are home to and encourage active daily living.
With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, sport — how do I love thee? Thank you, colleagues, for allowing me to recount, with some very personal Yukon stories, the ways.
Thank you. Shä̀w níthän. Mahsi’cho.
