Debates of the House of Commons (Ottawa, July 21 1943), " National Fitness Act,” 5188-5191 NATIONAL PHYSICAL BITNESS ACT ‘sovi00m Tou zsrAMLAGNDEENT OF GOUNETL FOR Hon, IAN A. MACKENZIB (Minister of ‘Peasiope and National Health) moved that the Luolue go into commitige to tansider the fol ing ‘Tesolution: ‘hat iin cada to introdue. i to evide fo _ ‘ie elablabment of ste! cut ie ensiated sama fut ftemoner aie oF plat to the Seared? it ae” ataat tees EEE hl te ee ececsle ak Soe talead ae Me CHRAYDON: J tik pegs hat his loan appropiate x tine aa any forthe Sur tomate x dead statement with eapet tothe provisos and biel of thr leghation 46 be founded ton tis veition. Me, MACKENZIE (Vaacowrer Cents): 1 stale ptssed tp mabe bre intedaetie ‘by way et exlhniog thi resolution, which is Ue ated 13 aptocedent 12 bill which hay beos on the Votes and Proceedings ip. the pomewion ol thon. geotlemen for seveu! days. Tho bil is printed and ready” for disuibotion. ‘This Igislation ia based upon a recommendation Dy the telect committee om octal wecuity which was mbmitted to tho howe a few daye ‘go. It is the result of earl consideration by: that committee. Htellenbevidenee was ven belore the committe by gentlemen from fhe: unvesites of McGill, ‘Tarosla und ‘MeMaster, and also by one gentleman who i lr Gi wok i 0 peti wy 7 ‘Stak Creoheslavelis andthe Scendinavian countries bad national loess programmes, {eles Ia 1097 the health commitice of the ‘League of Nations sont representations to the various members ofthe league asking tht they et up national bodien to. deal with phys! ‘Gtoess. Those representations wore duly com veyed st tt Gime to the government of Canada, but mometionswasstaken defore the sear Schemes sueh as this are it ellect ia Acsraia, ao6 Yo certain extent in Great Britain and the United States of America. ‘The proposal in the bill, which follows the resolution, to establish a national eounell of fitness. ‘The grant proposed to the ‘The others will be entitled to thelr expences ‘when allending meetings dealing with the programme. The programme is not che of compulsion or coercion in the aightost degrees itis aneofiooperation, To the frst place there will be cooperation sith other departments of Zovernment. ‘The Depariment of Labour it Sow cerning o8 voestonal ting and has 2 recreational scheme under itp selective service ‘ring. ‘There will also be cooperation with the Provineial governments. and with voluntary Daeaces and individuals who are carrying out ‘work slong these lines. ‘is apparent to everyone that in the last two oF three years in particular we have bad Drought home to us the fact Uhat the standard of physieal finess among our people has nol been es high 1 we abould have liked it to be. ‘Tho figures with regard to eatisiments haveJULY 21, 1048 Dbrougbt that fact strongly bome to us. Volum. tary organizations have been doing wonderful work ia Canada ia recent years slong these Hines. ‘Ar Tsay, these provinces have been giving ‘consideration to thie problem, eis not a very comprehensive measure but at least i is a beginaing; pethaps tall oaks from litle acoran ‘tas had wonderful support in the committee 0» cal security. I hope that it will receive the samme support from hon. members in the house. Mr. T. L. CHURCH (Broadview): Mr. Spealer, the scope of the motion of the Minister of Pensions and National Health (Mr. Mackeotie) is » most commendable oot. Bul to camry it out ecient is another ma ter, Ta Canada we sre saturilly a birdy "The resolution means that Cansda at lat will now have to ‘aback on a stem of national eduestion con- furrently with the provinces. National educa tion gots back to the days of Thomas Arsold in 1890, when a great campaign for x revival of learaing mas conducted by this authority on Sdueation, ‘He believed that book learning fame Inst and that what came first was love of country, service and eaerifce to one's fellows, Delriotism and the protection of one's couatry, nd that Christian prineples and physieal ft bras were seconds He, ni Usaidy place religious ‘and moral principles firs, gentiemanly conduct ‘nd patriotism second, and intellectual ability Inst ‘There has been a great change ia thought of the people of the British empire asa result of provided that Sra Shu 8 ie“ Spr te cate be res tonne = tule be ine boards of edueation, public aod separate shoo, Yerites. Some provinces have a diferent ‘ystem of distribution from others, ao that T thiok it would be better to make the grants directly to the municipalities. But certainly the eects) Phyuieal Pinens Act yell faaess movement shouldbe: mations! Ie tcope. Everybody i fem with the st cof several hundreds of spectators wathieg & Sail group ef player in Some parca sport ‘i We wnivertiien have changed all shat and ‘oublished sn exte-mural euriclim ‘ader whieh every atudent wl have to take some Compulsory tring ia ply! exercise and Spork Tae result i tbat ab MeGil and Toresto biversier ainebainn pers eeot of theo Segui meatal ea, € only exceptions belog those who. are ‘excused on 2 doctor’ eertifeate trade a bad 20 national policy on sports sace Whe war began, 0 well thoughout plat ia reintion (othe war. We are pow entering the fifth year of the war, and the goverament should, before pariement sdjouras issue 5 con ‘Sidered statement in relation to the Sunetion of port in view of the new rales and regulations of national telestive service snd the furlber eduction in railway travel for nos-esential orposcs, Such statement dhould. cover ‘SstEUeNpOR, to which we owe 90 much ia vis ‘var a bows hy the great numbers of amateur sportsmen who have ealised and gone o¥er- fens, some af whom have been billed. Tt the joint military. forces. etbedules of sport contests, and their miltey leagues, and the wide travel ling of some from coast to. const that involv Contests of all kinds. Will anything be dove in ‘war time lo rednce the ‘ost of tekele to ‘ome of these contests abd erbeduled ramee? T believe in the promotion of sport sod should Tike to sce it made a part of this important resolution. Canada has execlled in this war, ‘seit did in the las, largely through sportsman ‘SipeafealleKinds and branches. Our young people rushed to the colours and the frst to go mere those who had had esdet training and the best of those who hd engaged in all sport, Te wat a, ROUWRMBETRIE to. abolish fadet training. ‘Then there were those ‘who ctlisted early in the war who had taken part Jn sports and all Kido of games. 1 have been’ a warm supporter of sports, but now that we are in the fh year of the war there Shoold be sation statement from the gore Sromeat to ane the iran ma hall Be “Tro it fe that the secondary schools have promoted physial Slness by pbyical exercises5100 Physical Pines Act for this purpose, teaching the young. people ye ly apa hy the gue How 7 oe Pry an contny shel forty a wiv ty porn le ie te yay aa ‘edi! ad Fle’ ia hoe Tamia chi Peper wo at ‘ate dose une Leash ie men ‘ay echo tpt aod wr Sos Ste whol ad uence aes eign pinrt ees ar I°Tanie Taoapiet a@ ane Me pe Pas or pec! boca bie trai Aer bt te Teo om ots sped ado a he eras Ch hn Dey" most. commend Ther Ue hier feels al ere Our ol Bait hatey and let tenn bre ae dope Csact Ste ahooe ad rene St hp aad lb ote te Sep Boe nal ee hare cht et Salas tes in iee ot Sc nw Schoals are exedlent, but rules and regulations hamper ther. "We have nlways boen fond of games, and T hope there will be & united effort fom coset to coast tp make this national physical flness campaign a succes. ‘The medica. profession han urged it for yeore, Phyeieal Stners has always on 8 Tange scale been at imports pert af the wark of secondary” schools. shd Universities, and of cur community dubs. A ‘schoo! shouid not be judged by examinations ‘only in etudies, but by patriotiam aod service that there has been heavy barden onthe taxpayers for edoeation, "The tax rate in the city T come trom is high. We have a fax borden of $12.000000 « year now, aad io this ‘work the munizipalities should receive sore ar Chach 15 ‘COMMONS federal awistance. After all ia maid snd done, ‘ne of the mistaken of th fathers of Confederee tion was sot to ive the dominion provinoes concurrent jutindition eda T commend the minister penerally aod T hope that before thie part of the nesion is ‘over, there will be come elatemest regarding ‘utinal por, along the fines Thave suzgented, to clear the ir for the remainder of the war and afler i ‘Me. GORDON GRAYDON (Leader of the Oppaition)= T have no desire to take ‘up much of the time of the hovse at this stage of the resolution, but I believe that. the people of Canada generally will agree with the objecte thet Lie bebind Tt. As to the means by which they are to ‘be achieved, that may be another matter. In any event, that will be made apparent at a Ialer elage when we are discussing the Bil ‘The minister refered to physical Stness ae disclosed by the examinations thet took place 2s men and women entered the various ‘med services of the coustzy. That war evealing bit of stalisties afd one whith 20. oubt had a considerable bearing snd indi. fence upon the committee that deslt with thie particular subject. The fact that the social secuny eommitize largely agreed with, hd perhape were unasimous in Bringing in, ‘veh 's bil indicate T believe the necessity for pariament Keeping abrenst of public fentiment on health moatters generally.» “Most of us who have observed public move- sents in ths field know and wr kxow hat this moverment bas been eoosidersbly secclevated jn recent years. One. only needs torote that ther are lange mumbers of people In Canads. today who are. reading those coluznga that discuss the Deslth of - the Individus). To addition (o that the ineorenor companies, who are of course interested I rater of mortality, have taken it upon ther Selves, ja their several. private capecites, to fequaiat the public with ‘certain important eatores of publio health, AU Uhese matlert Ihave received the conscious consideration of the public snd whal we have before us is logiesl move in ‘the divection of cestin government as wall as the country will have to take into enracet consideration te at part tnd parcel of nny phys! fitness seheroeJOLY 21, 1913 oon Phyaical Fitness Aet in which both be Meine ned te depertnent ave terested, fand that involves the qUention ‘of the meant Ly which our etizene of al classes shall have T do not thiok tat sks eeolar GPa fon ihn sme reterseeheee made to Dutt paresis point bectase Tams envinced that tome at lest of our diesen ene tos from thowe daya when the county Yes not as aflvent ao it iv at the present tim. Tn-my part of the county had 00d deal af experience with men aed women ‘ho found jit Beeesary to go on cele. "ose te days which one of us want to ce again 1 would emphasise Dt band in bend ith ny solntion that is propesed for the whole Treble of. physical flnes ie teveoraly of their fleet If that bs nob seen to, Iam afraid for the evceess of any programme the gorers- ‘ment contemplates. We as a nation most fad way to succeed ao hat we sball never 3 ‘condition in which our ciliseos ate T bring that to the sitention of the minister beeause T appreciate that po. programm, ao smaller how good it may ‘be’ on paper, no matter how stuch the government may ‘wich st standard af living Which all of us mould Tike to eee thers have But there is another reason’ whys measure ‘uch a8 his should be fatrodaeed. ‘The quer ion of physical fitness suggests ihe question Cor the dole, and we all Koo that beesuse men and women who find themselves jn conditions that make for derpsr cannot hoe physically ft. J therefore make this plea to the goverment ia the hope that in the days shend of us we shall not oely plan for ® programme such'vs that which tho minister how eaviges in thin resolution, bub. shall ‘make it posible to provide the means whereby oth programme ean be propedty carried out, ‘Without thove means T do ‘nob thik hot sueomss en be attsined. Mr. J..K, BLAIR (Wellington North): T ‘mast congratulate the coromitiee upon the ‘work they have dose sad the misisler upon the services he ‘has. rendered “the country, Jn my ‘opinion «great deal can be dove 16 by way of radio and tho open. A eet dea tn" be done by felling te alle with ie arementa they ny down forthe pal Tide “There i very" Ble that coe Be dose though the Lenton of So We shal never revolutionise the weed By ‘dniisleing ragn,anTtny aay hat one ‘hing Thurs alwaye ted to should (of food which the ps ticular time. Do not draw a line of demaren- tion Detween foods and drugs, but give’ the patient what is necessry for his health of whatever type H may be, eall it dg. or Sood. Ik can easily be worked ot by" the doctor in charge. T like what the leader of the opposition (fr. Graydon) said in regard to fnaaee, but 1 woukl point out that the people. in’ this country who. have sturdy ‘constiations are ot those we were raised on high fine, ‘There is » yin T think that J3 very true, and J would be tomy to eee our young people getting any sore money than they have. Instead of raise ctendende of living, i that means simply giviag them more money, ‘Think of the people who have died in various owns. ‘The great majority of them ave act pened fon ag resol of Marsamus. Many of tiem, are Tellows who could hardly get into their feats; they are the ones who serifced them feivee on the allert of Bacchi or, Valeas. ‘They are the ones who have disappeared. The work of the committee should be aude largely by the method af living instead Of placing too much emphasis peo. ging drugs. If methods of Tiving are guided the ‘atioo's health ‘wil be greatly benefited. T appreciate very much t e tinister is carrying oD. ge get