Bryan Hayes protects your kid's head

NEWS RELEASE

BRYAN HAYES FEDERAL CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE

************************* Conservative Government - protecting our kids from head injuries in sport

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Conservative candidate Bryan Hayes today commended the Conservative Government's announcement of funding to support injury prevention in sports and recreation among children and youth.

With head injuries in professional sports in the news as of late, the Government of Canada is acting on a prevention strategy with a focus on young people involved in amateur sport.

“Recent head injuries in professional sports have started new discussion on the topic of keeping our kids safe in sports like hockey. The Conservative Government is acting to create a prevention strategy with a focus on children and youth involved in sports like these," said Bryan Hayes. "That's why the Conservative Government is investing in initiatives to reduce injuries while creating the conditions for active and safe play."

"Everyone has a role to play in preventing injury and helping our children and youth have the healthiest possible life," said Hayes. "Reducing the number and severity of injuries that occur in sports and recreational activities is not only possible, it's imperative."

The Government of Canada is providing $5 million over two years to support injury prevention initiatives that reach Canadian children and youth in the communities where they live and play.

With a focus on preventing major injuries such as concussions, drowning and fractures, this new investment will leverage the work and networks of non-governmental organizations to promote the safety of children and youth in high-participation activities such as hockey, snow sports, cycling and water sports.

"Hockey Canada applauds the government of Canada for this initiative," said Bob Nicholson, President and CEO of Hockey Canada. "To keep our children engaged in an active lifestyle, we all have a responsibility to provide them with a healthy, safe and fun environment."

Rebecca Nesdale-Tucker, Executive Director of Think First also celebrated the Government's investment.

"Increasing awareness of the risk of injuries in sports and recreation and ways to prevent them is an important step in helping children and youth participate safely, and brings us closer to diminishing the number of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries in Canada."

The health and safety of children and youth is a priority of Stephen Harper's Conservative Government.

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program has invested $500 million in community recreational facilities across Canada over a two-year period.

This national initiative has provided a temporary economic stimulus which has reduced the impact of the global recession while renewing, upgrading and expanding recreational infrastructure in Canadian communities.

Despite Tony Martin, Jack Layton and the NDP voting against local investments made through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program the Conservative Government has continued to support Sault Ste. Marie and Area.

- $1,000,000 – YMCA of Sault Ste. Marie – Improvements to Sault Family YMCA Facility.

- $423,333 – City of Sault Ste. Marie – Replacement of Exterior Fabric for Roberta Bondar Park Tent.

- $125,000 – City of Sault Ste. Marie – Rehabilitation of John Rhodes Community Centre Arena.

- $50,000 – City of Sault Ste. Marie – Upgrading of Peter G. Manzo Outdoor Pool Mechanical System.

- $50,000 – City of Sault Ste. Marie – Upgrading of V. E. Greco Outdoor Poll Mechanical System.

- $58,667 - Township of Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional - Upgrading of Echo Bay Sportsplex

- $25,000 - Township of Plummer Additional Rehabilitation of Township Arena Facility.

- $17,233 - Township of Johnson - Upgrading of Johnson Arena Energy and Ventilation Systems.

- $5,061 - Township of Jocelyn - improvements to Beech Beach Facilities.

- $4,000 - Township of St. Joseph - Construction of 10th Side Road Trail.

************************* Harper Conservatives adopt New Democrat strategy to reduce serious sport injuries

OTTAWA –(March 17) - Today, New Democrat Sports Critic Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury), along with Deputy Leader Thomas Mulcair (Outremont), welcomed the Conservative government’s overdue recognition of the concussion epidemic plaguing the sports community.

“I have been lobbying the Conservatives to take action on this issue for over a year now,” said Thibeault. “It’s encouraging that they’re finally taking the issue seriously.”

The government’s announcement of $5 million in funding for serious injury prevention and education is good news for the amateur sports community.

However, both New Democrats raised concerns that the announcement ultimately falls short.

“We welcome the announcement but it remains to be seen whether there will be concrete action taken,” said Mulcair. “It’s hard to see this as anything more than just pre-election posturing given that Minister Lunn has so far refused to acknowledge that the problem even exists.”

For over a year, New Democrats have called for action to address the problem of concussions and head shots in sports.

In February, Glenn Thibeault introduced Bill C-616 outlining a national strategy to reduce the incidence of serious injury in amateur sport.

A year earlier, the NDP called for a Royal Commission on violence in sports Sault MP Tony Martin said parents and coaches will welcome this long overdue initiative to improve safety conditions for adults, their children and their players.

New Democrats still want to address the issue of properly tracking concussions and other injuries.

“It is not clear whether it will empower sports organizations with the funding necessary to create training programs that deal specifically with the protocols for responding to a traumatic brain injury,” said Thibeault. “We need a mechanism in place that ensures information is disseminated between different sports organizations to ensure that injuries sustained by multi-sport athletes are properly addressed.”

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