Question Period Note: Concussions in sport

The Canadian sport system has been under the spotlight to address this public health issue. More recently, the Standing Committee on Health’s (HESA) 24th Report on the Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada’s study, entitled “Tackling the Problem Head-on: Sports-Related Concussions in Canada” was tabled on June 3, 2019 in the House of Commons. The report contains 13 recommendations to support ongoing actions by the Federal government in this area.

• Concussions in sport are a serious public health issue because of their frequency and potential for consequences on brain health.
• We know there is more that can be done to prevent concussions in sport.
• We will continue to work with partners, including provincial-territorial jurisdictions, to increase the awareness, prevention and management of concussions.

• The Government of Canada is dedicated to ensure a safe and ethical sport environment for all Canadians. The prevention of concussions is a complex issue requiring the involvement of many sport and non-sport stakeholders and a multi-faceted approach.
• The federal, provincial and territorial (F-P/T) Working Group on Concussions in Sport (WGCS) is comprised of F-P/T government representatives, non-governmental sport organizations, health, medical and education experts, as well as members of the Canadian Concussion Collaborative.
• On July 28, 2017, Parachute released the Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport (Canadian Guideline) for application in the Canadian context. The Canadian Guideline is based on the Fifth International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport published in April 2017.
• Following release of the Canadian Guideline, return-to-learn and return-to-play protocols have been developed at the national level. The goal of this work was to ensure that the same principles of return-to-learn and return-to-play protocols (generic or sport-specific), as well as those developed by key stakeholders are consistent and aligned with the Canadian Guideline.
• On July 28, 2017, the WGCS also released the Framework for Action, as approved by F-P/T Ministers, which details principles and recommendations to address the five components of the harmonized approach on concussions: awareness, prevention, detection, management and surveillance.
• As a next step, the WGCS will monitor the implementation of the Framework for Action and the Canadian Guideline as well as providing recommendations in the areas of dissemination of information and tools, and surveillance.
• A national awareness campaign (We are headstrong), a return-to-learn generic protocol and a course for health practitioners were launched at a workshop with the national sport organizations on June 8, 2018 at the Museum of Nature, in Ottawa.
• On February 15, 2019, in Red Deer, Alberta, the Federal-Provincial/Territorial (F-P/T) Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (SPAR) Ministers committed to additional actions, to mitigate against concussions and build on initiatives that increase the awareness, prevention and management of concussions.
• Each PT jurisdiction has committed to host an annual awareness day on the prevention of concussions in sport, starting in, or before 2021. The concept to bring these days within an awareness week will be discussed with provinces and territories at the next SPAR Ministers Conference in March 2020.
• The Standing Committee on Health’s (HESA) 24th Report on the Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada’s study, entitled “Tackling the Problem Head-on: Sports-Related Concussions in Canada” was tabled on June 3, 2019 in the House of Commons. The report contains 13 recommendations.
• The recommendations are asking the government of Canada to keep taking action in the areas of awareness, prevention, detection, management and surveillance.

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