Lack of Access and Inclusion

Good sport can reduce youth crime, improve school performance, and increase confidence, self-esteem and employment skills. Unfortunately it is often not accessible to those who stand to benefit the most.

We need to create better access to sport for all Canadians, including those from marginalized groups.

We have universal health care and public education in Canada. What we need now is universal access to sport participation – removing the economic, cultural, gender and other barriers to access. Every child in this country should have the opportunity to benefit from a values-based and principle-driven sport experience through participation at a level commensurate with their interest and ability.

Melia's Take: Access and Inclusion

I'm Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. I’m also a parent, coach, sports fan and player. This blog is written from all those perspectives…

Heads up!

June 12, 2013Players chase a soccerball

Quebec Soccer’s controversial decision to ban turbans and the subsequent efforts of the Canadian Soccer Association to overturn the ban is an interesting case study in “doing the right thing.”Read more

Fair and Phenomenal

August 5, 2012Athletic Track

True Sport moments are not simply about examples of fair play or sportsmanship, although they are often evident in True Sport. True Sport moments are about when sport is firing on all cylinders – when the Principles of True Sport (www....Read more

Running under the Olympic flag

July 30, 2012A lone runner on the boardwalk

“Guor Marial ran for his life to escape a Sudanese child labour camp. Now he will get to run at the Olympics.” (Read the full story at: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marathoner-...Read more

Lose the Battle, Win the War

April 7, 2011A Ski Jumper Soars

In December 2009, a public opinion poll found that 73 per cent of Canadians supported including women’s ski jumping in the Olympics, specifically the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. That month, a group of female ski jumper’s asked the Supreme Court of Canada to rule on the British Columbia Supreme...Read more

See Also...

A sporting chance

Competitive sports promote healthy living among Canada’s most vulnerable youth

New Canadians & Sport: A Resource for Grassroots Sport

(2013) Based on work done by the Ontario Soccer Association in Ottawa, it describes various ways in which to engage new Canadians in collaboration with other stakeholder groups