Carla Means Business

As quick as the recent election in Canada ended today was the day for change for the Canadian Government in more way’s than simply changing electing Justin Trudeau as the new Prime Minister.

First – congratulation to everyone that ran on the slate in various areas of Canada as it truly takes a “good sport” to put themselves front and centre.

One such individual who some might not know is Carla Qualtrough of Delta who is well known to the Paralympic committee winning three Paralympic and four World Championship medals in swimming.

She is a Paralympian Athlete that is visually impaired (since birth) that competed for Canada at the 1988 and 1992 Paralympic Games and currently serves on the Board of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and is Vice-Chair of the Delta Gymnastics Society.

Mr. Trudeau promised change and that is what he delivered to the country making changes to various portfolios.

Unbeknown to many she has been named one of Canada’s Most Influential Women in Sport six times and was a senior advisor to Sport Minister Paul DeVillers during his term (2002-2003) in office from.

Her board and volunteer experience at the international and domestic sport levels includes but is not limited to the International Paralympic Committee alone and includes the following: the Toronto 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games, Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada and the Commonwealth Games Mission Staff.

Things you might not know about Carla:

She graduated from Brookswood Secondary in Langley and has degrees in political science from the University of Ottawa (1993) and law from the University of Victoria (1997).

After being called to the bar in 1998, Qualtrough served two years as a legal counsel in Ottawa (1999-2001) on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

In addition she was also a legal counsel (2005-06)for the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal in addition to raising her four children with her husband Eron Main.

He is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation and former executive director of Rowing B.C.

Congratulations to Carla in her new position.

Other changes you should know about include the following:

Prime Minister Trudeau also named other ministers who have a sport background notably:

• Justin Trudeau – Prime Minister (Former opposition critic for sport)
• Carolyn Bennett – Indigenous and Northern Affairs  (Former Minister of State for Public Health)
• Kirsty Duncan – Science (Former critic for sport)
• Catherine McKenna – Environment and Climate Change (Former University of Toronto Blues swim team captain)
• Hunter Tootoo – Fisheries and Oceans, and Canadian Coastguard (Cousin of NHL player Jordin TooToo)
• Kent Hehr – Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defence (Former junior hockey player)