Winter 2022

On November 23, 2021, the CTSQ’s directors voted an update for the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct. We would like to remind our members that they have to inform CTSQ’s Ethics committee of any witnessed misconduct by another members.

We also updated the procedure for complaints management at the same time. All documents are available on our Website in French ; the English version will be available soon. Do not hesitate to refer to them or share them with people who would have questions pertaining that topic by visiting this page.

Did you notice the various media apparition from several CTSQ’s members last December? Roland Mailhot, our media relationist, worked and still works hard so we ca be seen and heard.

We are always looking for new contents and are happy to receive news about your experiences. Never hesitate to send our way your successes, projects and journeys; every history has mediatic potential. Send us an e-mail or call us (514-718-1311) to discuss your ideas.

President's Corner: Onward 2022

Dear Members,

To begin, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year and all the success and happiness in 2022. The last several months have been busy in the world of athletic therapy. At the end of October 2021, the Canadian Athletic Therapy Association (CATA)’s Board of Directors voted to revoke one of its general by-laws, which obliged members to maintain their membership with a provincial association if they wanted to retain their CATA membership. This change was set to be ratified by members of the organization at its last Annual General Meeting (AGM) on January 23, 2022.

In response to these actions by the CATA, the CTSQ called a special general meeting on December 16, 2021, and drafted eight proposals that were all accepted (5 unanimously and 3 with a majority of votes).

In short, members of the CTSQ reasserted that they trusted our Corporation to manage all files (insurance, marketing, third-party representation, etc.) on all matters that affect our practice and profession. Members also reiterated that the CTSQ should remain the sole representative and spokesperson for our profession in Quebec. Members voted in favour of the CTSQ taking all the steps required to bring our initiative to migrate into the Quebec professional system to fruition. The Office des Professions (OPQ) also began consultations with our partners (professional associations, government ministries, universities, etc.) to integrate athletic therapists into the professional system – an initiative that is set to be completed in June 2022.

Members also voted in favour of the principle that only members of the CTSQ can be recognized and obtain their licence to practise if they meet our educational requirements. The CTSQ also met with the Collège des médecins in January 2022 to discuss the possibility of adapting by-law M-9, r. 11.1 – Regulation respecting certain professional activities that may be engaged in by an athletic therapist to reflect the will of athletic therapists in Quebec.

Lastly, members asked that the CTSQ contact the CATA’s Board of Directors to immediately revoke the above-mentioned amendment to its general by-laws. The proposal they voted on stipulated that the amendment be discussed and the plan be fleshed out before becoming effective. The CTSQ contacted the CATA, but the latter rejected its request, stating that the amendment to the by-law would be voted on at the CATA’s AGM on January 23, 2022. At that AGM, the CATA’s legal advisor stated that the organization’s Board of Directors had mistakenly adopted the change immediately after it was proposed. This action was deemed illegal under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and the change was immediately revoked and the by-law was restored to its status in September 2021, i.e. obliging members of the CATA to also be members of their provincial associations to maintain their standing. The CATA’s administrators then delayed the vote on the amendment until a special meeting they called on February 17, 2022.

To allow us to continue to do our work representing you, we ask that as many of you as possible attend that meeting and vote against the amendment proposed by the CATA.

The CTSQ will continue to work with and for its members in the coming months to grow our profession in Quebec. On behalf of all members of the CTSQ’s Board of Directors, thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Philippe Fait, CAT (C)
President

Sport’Aide
Building healthy, safe, non-violent sports environments

During our recent series of presentations at the Annual Athletic Therapy Conference, we had a chance to sit down with Sylvain Croteau from Sport’Aide to learn more about the organization’s mission and operations. For those of you who weren’t able to join us for the presentation, I thought it was important to provide a summary of the interview I did with Mr. Croteau about the organization.

Étienne Fallu: Mr. Croteau, can you tell us a little bit about how Sport’Aide came to be?
Sylvain Croteau: Sport’Aide is the fruit of some field work that was done by our elected officials and civil servants following the realization by the Quebec sports community several years ago that we needed to prioritize protecting the safety and integrity of our young athletes (Sport’Aide was launched in November 2014). This societal initiative materialized on several fronts in October 2017, with the creation of an online and telephone help line, and coaching service that has been offered by Sport’Aide since May 1, 2018

É.F.: Is Sport’Aide designed for young amateur athletes only?
S.C.: Sport’Aide is intended for everyone – not just young athletes – and we offer our services to the entire Quebec sports community. Whether you’re a young athlete, trainer, club manager, official, volunteer, support staff, parent, grandparent, victim or witness of violence (sexual, physical, psychological, abuse, harassment, bullying or cyberbullying) in a sport setting, Sport’Aide is here to help. Our team can be reached by phone or via our virtual platforms 24 hours/day and we offer free, CONFIDENTIAL bilingual services. You can check us out at sportaide.ca.

É.F.: And when people contact Sport’Aide, who answers? Who provides the service?
S.C.: Our team has a varied and complementary background and our staff are trained in helping relations (criminology, psychology, sports psychology, addiction, and/or social work) and can help you regardless of your needs, including cyberbullying, suicidal thoughts, burnout, violence in sports, legal questions and the roles played by various sporting bodies. Our team can also refer you to our network of partners (over 300 organizations and individuals) if you require further expertise (e.g. eating disorders, etc.).

É.F.: Approximately how many people use the service in a given year?
S.C.: When you consider that our help line and coaching service have only been operational for 3 years, the data is pretty recent and people are just starting to become aware of us. That said, since our inception, we have provided services to over 700 individuals and groups and responded to hundreds of other requests for coaching (education, information and awareness) from clubs and organizations, and hundreds of interview requests from media outlets, whose various platforms help us inform and educate the public.

É.F.: What are you most proud of on your journey so far with Sport’Aide?
S.C.: We are proud of so many things. First, there’s our partnership with the Quebec sports ecosystem and its various constituents and stakeholders, including the academic, municipal and recreational elements that all want to be part of the solution. Then there’s the fact that Sport’Aide has become a model for safe and healthy sporting environments in Quebec and elsewhere, since clubs and organizations are reaching out to us for guidance. This acknowledgement also helped us take home the Quebec government’s 2019 Ensemble contre l’intimidation award and receive invitations to present our service model abroad (in Sweden, France, Finland, etc.). Otherwise, our third source of pride is the expertise that our highly qualified team provides to help the sporting community and the positive, personalized and holistic services that we offer. Sport’Aide has a qualified and dedicated team that is supported by a strong and engaged board of directors

É.F.: What do you believe the future holds for your organization?
S.C.: In an ideal world, I hope that Sport’Aide and its services will no longer be needed in a few years!! That said, I get the sense that our services will still be relevant and we’ll need to keep “working” with and for the sports community. We want to continue to develop and maintain important partnerships, and innovative activities and tools that fulfill the sporting and recreational needs of our various contributors who deserve our full support and attention. To do this, we will need to continue listening to and personalizing our approach to meet a variety of needs. There’s a lot of work yet to be done! This includes creating large-scale awareness of violence in sport and its consequences, and pushing people to think about the notion of performance (yes, but at what cost?) vs. pleasure in sport/recreation that needs to be addressed. In short, we are engaged in a paradigm shift in society and thankfully the ENTIRE sports community is on board.

É.F.: When and how to do athletic therapists contribute to the service?
S.C.: This is a question that not only we, but everyone who works with our athletes needs to ask (massage therapists, nutritionists, fitness trainers, mental coaches, etc. ) since part of our work involves fielding sensitive information and confessions from athletes. That said, several components seem worthy of raising in terms of our role in the helping relationship. First and foremost, we need to remain calm (avoid strong reactions) and listen with an open mind and without judging the person confessing things to you. You also need to be reassuring and acknowledge the courage it takes for them to speak out about their troubles. Additionally, it is important to validate emotions and feelings, while also relieving the person of the burden of guilt for sharing his/her situation. Lastly, offer them your support, while encouraging them to be independent (don’t react for them) and guide them toward appropriate resources.
Remember that Sport’Aide is available to everyone, including victims and witnesses of violence in sports. Whether you’re a young athlete, coach, club manager, official, volunteer, support person, or a parent or grandparent, Sport’Aide is available 24/7 and our team can be contacted by phone or on our various virtual platforms.

Thanks so much to Mr. Croteau for taking the time to discuss Sport’Aide with us again, and congratulations for the initiative and everything you’ve achieved to this point. This is a cause that all sports therapists need to take to heart.

Here again are the various ways of getting in touch with Sport’Aide:
Website: www.sportaide.ca
By e-mail/Text: 1 833 211-AIDE (2433)/1 833 245-HELP (4357)

Étienne Fallu, CAT (C)
Special collaboration

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President's Corner: Onward 2022

Sport’Aide Building healthy, safe, non-violent sports environments

Sport’Aide
Building healthy, safe, non-violent sports environments