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National Post

Future of Sport in Canada Commission opens public survey ahead of summit

The Future of Sport in Canada Commission launched its public survey Monday to gather opinions on safe sport and improving the sport system ahead of its fall summit. Article content Among the first questions posed: Have you witnessed or experienced maltreatment in sport, and how big of a problem do you think maltreatment is in organized sport in Canada? Article content Article content Former Olympic skier Allison Forsyth, a founder of Generation Safe and now safe sport officer for Canada Soccer, says while she believes the commission is doing important work, some survey questions assume a level of experience with the national sport system. Article content Forsyth also asks if the person taking the survey knows the definition of maltreatment under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport. Article content 'When I'm out here doing my work, there's many people in this country at the grassroots level that don't even know what safe sport means,' Forsyth said. 'The questions in the survey are very good, but very specific. Article content 'If it was sent to the public as their opportunity to contribute to the future of sport in Canada … it doesn't do enough to explain to people the foundation of safe sport, what maltreatment is, and what the universal code of conduct is.' Article content The survey is open until August and can be accessed through the website or the commission's social media posts. Article content She's also worked with provincial, university and club sport organizations in Canada, and wanted those levels to be more represented in the survey questions. Article content Article content 'My education and work is the people that matter the most, which is the children in sport at a grassroots level whose parents are entrusting their club to keep their child safe from maltreatment,' Forsyth said. Article content 'If I was a parent, and I am one of high-level hockey players in the youth programs, would I know any of this? The answer, in my opinion, is no because the universal code of conduct to address maltreatment in sport points back to the federal level of sport.'