Come together: Why the Canada Games may be more important than ever

The Canada Games have brought people together in the past, but this year's edition comes at a time when unity may be as important as competition itself.

The country's biggest domestic sporting event begins on Friday in St. John's, where more than 4,200 young athletes will represent their province or territory across 19 different sports.

Canada Games Council chair Catriona Le May Doan said the multi-sport event is about more than what happens on the field of play.

"It's an Olympics and a Paralympics at a national level, [and] it's high-performance sport coming together representing provinces and territories," she said. "But it's about a community showcasing their spirit, their people, and art and culture, while one of the highest levels of sport is happening in a multi-sport fashion."

Athletic competition isn't the only way the 2025 Canada Games will look to unite the country, which has been the goal since the very first Games in 1967. The multi-sport event began as a nation-building project with the motto "unity through sport."

Le May Doan, a two-time Olympic champion speed skater, is also a three-time Canada Games participant. She said her time representing Team Saskatchewan taught her about the heritage and culture of other Canadians, and that remains a vital lesson for Canada Games athletes in 2025.

"That's what it's about, it's about learning about our country. And it's about learning about it through sport, that's what's incredible," she said. "It's about Indigenous nations and about learning about the different nations that are situated in various provinces and territories.

"It's about uniting, which – now, more than ever – we know we need, but we do that through sport. But the Games are so much more than sport."

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