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Official Opposition Opinion on Sport in Canada
The Official Opposition sees sports as integral to Canadian life and
Canadian communities. Whether urban or rural, northern or southern, maritimes
or prairies, freshwater lakes or mountain, winter or summer, professional
or amateur, organized or spontaneous, sport is an element of the Canadian
psyche and Canadian culture.
It is clear from the Sub-Committee's study that there is more to "sports"
than meets the eye. Sports contribute to the moral and social as well as
to the physical development and well-being of Canadian youth and adults.
We are satisfied that the main body of this report accurately reflects
the testimony given by witnesses who appeared before the Sub-Committee.
However, we identify at least two broad problems with the recommendations
in the main body of the report:
1. The expenditure proposals, both direct grants and subsidies as well
as tax concessions and credits, require more research to ascertain their
effectiveness in the medium and long terms. We would prefer to see a cost-benefit
analysis before making a decision as to the implementation of any expenditure
recommendations. In this respect we believe the main body of this report
betrays a weakness.
2. The creation of new boards and committees on dimensions of sport,
as well as any existing boards, committees, and agencies of the Government,
should be subject to review by the House of Commons Standing Committee
on Canadian Heritage.
In closing, we extend our thanks to the Chairman of the Sub-Committee,
Mr. Dennis Mills, M.P., for initiating what could form the basis of more
detailed investigation of the role, the place, and contributions of sport
to who we are and will become as 21st-century Canadians.