Sports day is not something for only students anymore.
Bill S–211, an act to establish the first Saturday in June as National Health and Fitness Day, was passed unanimously in the House of Commons, Wednesday, December 10.
John Weston, member of parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, has been working with Senator Nancy Greene Raine and a group of concerned citizens for several years to build support for the initiative across the country.
Its objective is to reduce health care costs attributed to preventable diseases caused by inactivity and to inspire Canadians to become fitter.
“We should not be burdening out health care system with the results of unhealthy lifestyles,” said Raine in a press release from Weston’s office. “Education also plays a big role and quality physical education will be increasingly important to insure children grow up with the skills needed to enjoy physical activities.”
The senator from BC, an olympic skier and Canada’s Female Athlete of the 20th Century, introduced the bill in the upper house in December 2013 and it was then sponsored by Weston when it reached Parliament.
The initiative gives local governments and citizens a blank canvas to mark the day; to use it to celebrate and promote the use of local health, recreational, sports and fitness facilities, according to the press release.
“I am delighted to see our two governing chambers and all parties’ leadership coming together to take a proactive approach and inspire citizens to get out there and play,” said Weston. He is also pleased with the government’s plan to double its child fitness tax credit and make it refundable in 2015. “We always aimed to rally our nation to be the fittest on Earth and this is a giant leap in the right direction.”
