Bill C-658

2nd Session, 41st Parliament,

62-63-64 Elizabeth II, 2013-2014-2015

house of commons of canada

BILL C-658

An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to reduce the incidence of concussions in amateur sport

Whereas sport is a cultural institution that merits protection and support from the Government of Canada;

Whereas recent medical research has demonstrated the pervasiveness of concussions in amateur sport;

Whereas many concussions are preventable through the effective dissemination of appropriate information;

Whereas a concerted effort by communities and governments as well as by representatives of the athletic and medical communities across Canada can make a tangible difference in preventing concussions that can result from participation in amateur sport;

Whereas, given that concussions in amateur sport are a significant public health issue, it is important to reduce their incidence and long-term societal impacts;

Whereas concussions have demonstrated cumulative and long-lasting effects on memory, judgment, social conduct, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination;

Whereas it is in the interest of all Canadians that a national strategy be developed and implemented to reduce the incidence of concussions in amateur sport, to change the existing attitudes of Canadians towards them and to foster further policy development in this area;

And whereas it is desirable for the Government of Canada, in consultation with the ministers responsible for health and sport in each province and territory, to develop a national strategy to reduce the incidence of concussions in amateur sport;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the National Strategy for Concussion Reduction in Amateur Sport Act.

INTERPRETATION

2. In this Act, “Minister” means the Minister of Health.

NATIONAL STRATEGY

3. (1) The Minister, in cooperation with the Minister responsible for the Physical Activity and Sport Act, representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for health and sport and representatives of the athletic and medical communities, must develop and implement a national strategy that includes

(a) the establishment of national stand-ards — relating to the health and safety of persons participating in amateur sport — for the training of coaches and other persons involved in that area;

(b) the establishment of guidelines regarding the prevention, identification and treatment of concussions in amateur athletes, including the criteria that must be met before these athletes are permitted to return to play after being diagnosed with a concussion;

(c) the establishment of a national medical surveillance program to properly track incidence rates and the associated economic costs of concussions in amateur sport; and

(d) the creation, for coaches and other persons involved in amateur sport, of a comprehensive standardized educational program on concussions that is designed to enhance participant safety at all levels of amateur sport.

(2) The Minister, in cooperation with the Minister responsible for the Physical Activity and Sport Act, must, within six months after the day on which this Act comes into force, convene a conference with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments responsible for health and sport and representatives of the athletic and medical communities for the purpose of developing the national strategy.

4. (1) The Minister must cause a copy of a report setting out the national strategy to be laid before each House of Parliament within one year after the day on which this Act comes into force.

(2) The Minister must post the report on the departmental Web site within 30 days after the day on which the report is tabled in Parliament.

REVIEW AND REPORT

5. Within five years of the tabling of the report referred to in section 4 and every three years after that, the Minister must prepare a report on the effectiveness of the national strategy, setting out his or her conclusions and recommendations regarding the strategy, and cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting.