The True Sport Secretariat is pleased to announce that Athletics Canada has recently joined a growing list of organizations who are lending their support to the True Sport Strategy, Canadas national strategy to promote values-driven sport for all participants. Athletics Canada's Board of Directors endorsed the Strategy this March and will work in collaboration with the True Sport Secretariat to further values-driven sport initiatives at all levels of athletics.
"We are very pleased to work with the True Sport Secretariat to help ensure that athletics fosters positive values for athletes and youth in communities across the country," said Jean-Guy Ouellette, Chair of Athletics Canada. We believe in particular that the sport of athletics, through its many programs and initiatives, can foster the values of fairness, excellence, fun and inclusion, and help to ensure that more and more young Canadians are encouraged to participate and enjoy the many benefits that a rewarding sport experience can offer."
"True Sport gives expression to the kind of sport we all want for our children and our communities," said Dina Bell-Laroche, Director of the True Sport Secretariat. "Our goal is to connect 2,010 True Sport Communities by 2010 and one of the driving forces behind this Movement will be early champions, such as Athletics Canada, who recognize the inherent value of helping sport live up to its full potential."
The True Sport Strategy is a coordinated and collaborative initiative amongst members of the sport, recreation and physical activity communities, to ensure that values-driven sport becomes central to the sport experience for all participants. The Strategy lives within the Building Capacity pillar of the Canadian Sport Policy and has been endorsed by the Federal-Provincial/ Territorial Ministers responsible for sport, recreation and fitness.
Led by a national Steering Committee, the True Sport Strategy is supported by a number of organizations including the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport; Athletes CAN; the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; Sport Canada; Hockey Canada; Skate Canada; the Sport Alliance of Ontario; the Sport Matters Group; Sport Officials Canada; the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association; the Canadian Professional Coaches Association; Sport Manitoba; la Direction de la Promotion de la sécurité - Secrétariat au loisir et au sport; and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Athletics Canada is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field including cross-country running and road running. Its purpose is to support high performance athletics excellence at the world level and to provide leadership in developmental athletics.
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For more information:
Dina Bell-Laroche
Director, True Sport Secretariat
613-521-8413
OR
Penny Joyce
Communications Director, Athletics Canada
613-260-5580
