Boxing Canada provides testimony to House of Commons Committee on Safe Sport
On June 8th Boxing Canada appeared before the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage as they continued investigations into Safe Sport. The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage studies the policies and programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the organizations within the Portfolio. These organizations are active in the fields of culture, heritage, and human rights.
Executive Director Christopher Lindsay provided insight into Boxing Canada’s efforts to protect its participants and answer questions from Members of Parliament. Other witnesses providing testimony for the committee included Kim Taylor, Lukas Walter, and Thomas Gobeil who brought insight into the lives of hockey players, and Mélanie Lemay who is an expert on combating sexual violence. The goal of the Committee is to provide the government direction on future programs and policies.
Boxing Canada President Ryan O’Shea who watched the proceeding, was thankful for the opportunity for Boxing to share the commitments that have been made to address concerns of the membership. President O’Shea said after the meeting, “At Boxing Canada, our highest priority is to foster a safe, healthy, and respectful environment for every member of our community. We are steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights, well-being, and dignity of all athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers, irrespective of their age, gender, race, or background. Boxing Canada is committed to upholding these standards not only because they are mandated by law but because they are integral to the spirit of sport and our core values. We believe that by ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our participants, we can help everyone in our community to focus on what they love most – the sport of boxing.”
During the testimony Executive Director Christopher Lindsay talked about several policies that are in place, and some changes that were expected shortly. As part of Boxing Canada’s commitment to servicing members, in areas of Abuse-Free Sport and beyond, notices of updated policies/procedures/programs will be posted on the website. The update to the National Team Athlete Agreement, as mentioned in the committee meeting, will be a first example.
Link to meeting Notice
Link to the video recording of the committee meeting