Toward a New Playbook in Canadian Sport

Our second episode in this series is Taking a Stand in Canadian Sport and will focus on sport advocacy over time in Canada and where we are at currently in protecting the health and safety of all in sport. 

For this episode Dr. Jennifer Walinga invites 3three former high performance athletes now experts in advocacy in and through sport: Kristen Kit, Kim Shore (YourSide), and Kristen Henry (AthletesCAN). All have extensive experience studying, advocating, and presenting on the health and impact of sport in Canada. 

A constellation of developments in the Canadian sport landscape illustrates the array of social, judicial, and political mechanisms for addressing corruption in and of sport—and poses an intriguing set of competing and contradictory values and assertions. 

The Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial verdict, the Future of Sport in Canada Commission Report, and the Canadian Sport Policy were all released within a few weeks of one another. At the same time Safe Sport oversight was transferred from SDRCC to CCES and True Sport was paused. 

Meanwhile we see major challenges to sport norms socially. We kicked off 2026 with the exciting and global impact of professional Canadian women’s sports leagues, busting the myths of limited interest or earning potential, and Heated Rivalry, a TV series based on Nova Scotia author Rachel Ried exploring the experiences and relationships of gay male hockey players. All this and the Winter Olympics.