Ottawa—Six sport governing bodies from Japan and Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, inspired by the desire to promote and strengthen cooperation between the two nations in the areas of high-performance sport, sport development, and social development through sport.

The accomplished and strategic sport leader has contributed extensively to sport in Canada while working in a variety of senior positions for the Government of Canada related to the Olympic and Paralympic movement in the country over the last two decades. Most recently, Blinn has been the Director of High Performance Sport and Major Games for Sport Canada since 2015 where he spearheaded the development of the Canadian High Performance Sport Strategy, and helped reform Sport Canada’s approach to evaluating the health of the sport system.

After 38 years serving at the highest levels of Canadian sport, Lane MacAdam will be retiring in April.

As Canada’s national organization responsible for providing technical leadership for Canadian sports to achieve improved podium performances at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the following is a statement on behalf of Own the Podium in response to the Government of Canada’s appointment of a Minister dedicated to sport.

The sport community across the country knows the value that participation in sport and physical activity at all levels – from the playground to the podium – holds for creating healthy, vibrant communities. Alongside Canada’s national sport organizations, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium, and CBC Sports today launched a new grassroots social initiative called #PowerOfSport to illustrate the importance and widespread positive impact of sport for all Canadians.