OTTAWA –
As Canada’s Paris Olympians and Paralympians were celebrated in Ottawa Wednesday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) also used the occasion to renew calls for increased federal funding.
Across the street from the West Block of Parliament, some 200 athletes were welcomed by dozens of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, several cabinet ministers, senators and MPs from different parties.
The athletes were later welcomed to the floor of the House of Commons, with MPs erupting into a collective rendition of O Canada.
While holding the attention of parliamentarians, COC president Tricia Smith took the opportunity to lay out the dire state of Canada’s sport organizations.
“If I can be so bold, what is now needed is updated support for the national sports system. That’s the system that provides Canadians (with) the coaches, the training camps, the competition opportunities,” she said in a speech.
“Those are being cut by the national …