Own The Podium CEO Anne Merklinger appears as witness at a House of Commons heritage committee in Ottawa on Monday, May 15, 2023. The committee is studying safe sport in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Own The Podium CEO Anne Merklinger says the organization would be in support of an inquiry into Canada’s sport system as a whole, rather than just safe sport.
Merklinger referred to safe sport as a “symptom of a much bigger problem” within Canada’s sport system at a parliamentary committee hearing on Monday.
She said the system is under-resourced and lacks leadership.
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport executives Jeremy Luke and Karri Dawson and Sport’Aide executive director Sylvain Croteau were also testified before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
Like Merklinger, Croteau advocated looking at the entirety of Canada’s sports system.
Former sports minister Kirsty Duncan is among those who have demanded an inquiry into safe sport in Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2023.
