Sport is a training ground for leadership, including for Members of Parliament

Canadians love sport—the physical practice of it, attending and watching it—and its significance as a metaphor for what it means to be Canadian.

Last summer, 27 million Canadians tuned into CBC/Radio-Canada to cheer on Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Statistics Canada cites sport participation as the top-ranked form of civic engagement.

And in the face of external threats to Canadian sovereignty, rallying cries of all Canadians being part of Team Canada speak to the way that sport is a metaphor for unity that reaches across geography, language, and politics.

Countless elected officials at the municipal, provincial/territorial, and federal levels have honed their leadership skills through sport. In the wake of the 2025 federal election, here are three Members of Parliament who transitioned from the highest levels of sport to representing their communities as a voice in Ottawa.

Adam van Koeverden, Member of Parliament, Burlington North-Milton West, Secretary of State for Sport

The 2025 federal election saw Adam van Koeverden re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Burlington North-Milton West. Shortly thereafter, van Koeverden was named Secretary of State for Sport in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly formed cabinet.

van Koeverden is uniquely experienced for the role, representing Team Canada in sprint kayak at four Olympic Games: Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. Van Koeverden has four Olympic medals to his name, including gold (K-1 500m) and bronze (K-1 1000m) from Athens, followed by silver at Beijing (K-1 500m) and London (K-1 1000m). He served as Team Canada’s flag bearer at the Closing Ceremony in Athens and then the Opening Ceremony in Beijing. 

In addition to his Olympic results, van Koeverden also won two world championship titles and has eight world championship medals overall. 

After being sworn into cabinet, van Koeverden shared the following statement:

“Sport builds nations. It makes us happy and healthy, it connects our communities and brings everyone together. It’s often the biggest section of the newspaper because the stories that sport tells are human stories of victory and triumph, errors and mistakes – life lessons that instill resilience and show us what we are capable of.

It’s also the thing that brought me around the world and ultimately to a life of community service. I love sport and I’ve never been more motivated to ensure that the activities we love are more available and accessible for every Canadian that wants to play.”

Helena Konanz, Member of Parliament, Similkameen–South Okanagan–West Kootenay

Helena Konanz was elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time in the 2025 federal election, representing the B.C. riding of Similkameen–South Okanagan–West Kootenay. Prior to entering federal politics, Konanz served as a Penticton City Councillor, and board member for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

But Konanz also brings to the table experience as a professional tennis player. After captaining the tennis team at the University of California-Los Angeles, Konanz turned professional and competed in several Grand Slam tournaments, including the US Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon.

Konanz comes from an extended family of tennis players. Her grandfather played on the French Davis Cup team, and Konanz, her mother, and her grandfather represent three generations of family athletes to compete at the French Open. 

Early in her tennis career, Konanz played an exhibition game with her tennis hero, Billie Jean King, whom she deeply admired for her advocacy for women in sport. One of the reasons Konanz initially got involved in politics was because she didn’t see as many women running for office.

“Ultimately, the most important lesson [from sport] is [to try to keep] a positive, can-do attitude even when faced with what may seem like insurmountable challenges. The belief that you can succeed and make a difference as one person or as a team is fundamental to success,” said Konanz.

Peter Fonseca, Member of Parliament, Mississauga East-Cooksville

The 2025 federal election saw Peter Fonseca re-elected for the fourth time as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville. Prior to being elected as a federal representative for the first time in 2011, Fonseca was elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003. He held various roles within cabinet, including parliamentary assistant to then-Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, George Smitherman, in 2003, and parliamentary assistant to then-Minister of Health Promotion, Jim Watson, in 2005. In 2007, Fonseca was named the Ontario Minister of Tourism and Recreation, and in 2008, the Minister of Labour.

But what you might not be as familiar with is Fonseca’s impressive resumé as a distance runner. Fonseca competed for the famed track and field team at the University of Oregon and went on to represent Canada internationally. 

In 1994, Fonseca finished fifth in the 10,000m at the 1994 Commonwealth Games. He represented the maple leaf proudly at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, placing 21st in the men’s marathon, covering the 42.2km course in a time of 2:17:28.

During his athletic career, Fonseca found the podium at several major marathons, including the Toronto Marathon, Houston Marathon, and Los Angeles Marathon.

The Canadian Olympic Committee looks forward to working hand-in-hand with all Members of Parliament to protect, promote, and invest in a thriving national sport system—from youth sport, to high performance, and everything in between.

Because, we are all Team Canada.