Ensuring a healthy and respectful sport environment: Canada Games Council acts to protect athletes
Canada Games Council – Reaction to the statements of the victims of Bertrand Charest
(June 5th, 2018) Ottawa – The Canada Games Council wishes to join the sport community in expressing its support of the courageous statements given by the victims of Bertrand Charest.
We admire the courage it took for Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, Gail Kelly, Anna Prchal and Geneviève Simard to come forward and speak about the tragedies they had to endure. This subject is of paramount importance and these statements will unquestionably help protect future generations of athletes. We strongly encourage the sport community to follow the lead of these brave women as we all band together to further enhance safety precautions.
“Athletes and parents must have confidence that sport organizations and events have taken every single precaution to ensuring a safe environment for all participants,” says Tom Quinn, Canada Games Council Chairman. “Regardless of age, gender or sport, the safety and respect of participants is crucial. We urge governments and the entire sport community to understand and act on this principle – a strong sport system is a safe sport system.”
The Canada Games Council and Host Societies wish to reaffirm their commitment to maintaining conditions that favor a healthy and respectful environment to all participants. We will continue to work with all of our partners to ensuring harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited by implementing the necessary processes that protect everyone involved with the Canada Games.
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About the Canada Games
Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up and coming Canadian athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity.
The 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer will be held from February 15th to March 3rd. The 2021 Canada Summer Games will be held in the Niagara Region. The organization of the Canada Games is made possible thanks to the contribution and support of the Government of Canada, provincial/territorial governments, host municipalities and the Canada Games Council.