RED DEER DECLARATION
For the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport
We, the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation recognize that:
- Sport participation can have a positive impact on lives and communities, encouraging every person to achieve their potential and benefit from positive health and social outcomes.
- All Canadians have the right to participate in sport in an environment that is safe, welcoming, inclusive, ethical and respectful, and one that protects the dignity, rights and health of all participants.
- Sport must be free from harassment, abuse, unethical behaviour, and discrimination, regardless of sex, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion, language, age, sexual orientation, ability, or any other basis.
- Federal, provincial, and territorial governments have a critical role to play in ensuring and sustaining a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment that is free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
- The sport sector has taken the initiative in recent years to promote a Safe Sport environment for all participants throughout Canada and is seeking leadership and collaboration from governments in its efforts.
- Canadian athletes, who have called on all governments to take action to address significant concerns regarding the safety of participants at all levels, must play a central role in the prevention of harassment, abuse and discrimination in sport.
We, the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation will work together to:
- Reinforce and build on the existing work and commitments to activate the values of the Canadian Sport Policy, the Framework for Recreation in Canada and the Common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada.*
- Foster a collaborative and coordinated relationship with sport organizations, participants, and stakeholders, and engage relevant experts to identify effective approaches to prevent and respond to incidents of harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
- Prioritize collective actions to address harassment, abuse and discrimination and unethical behaviour in sport, while respecting jurisdictional responsibilities.
We, the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation will work together on the following immediate actions:
- Establishing a standing item on safety and integrity in sport, including harassment, abuse and discrimination, on the agenda for ministerial conference calls and meetings for the purpose of reviewing progress of actions, updating priorities, and exploring innovative approaches.
- Implementing a collaborative intergovernmental approach, with better harmonized commitments, mechanisms, principles, and actions to address harassment, abuse, and discrimination in sport in the areas of awareness, policy, prevention, reporting, management, and monitoring.
- Investigating a mechanism to report and monitor incidents of harassment, abuse, and discrimination reported in sport environments in order to inform future decisions and initiatives.
* Although Quebec is not opposed to the principles underlying the Common Vision and the Framework for Recreation, it has its own programs, action plans, objectives and targets for the promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyles, all areas which are under Quebec’s responsibility. The Government of Quebec does not participate in federal, provincial and territorial initiatives in those areas, but agrees to exchange information and best practices with other governments.