Bruce Kidd

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: U of T video series focuses on the bigger stories behind our favourite sports

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 22:49:15 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: U of T video series focuses on the bigger stories behind our favourite sports Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/16/2022 - 17:49

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From left to right: Shireen Ahmed, Simon Darnell, Joseph Wong, Miranda Ayim and Bruce Kidd (image by Lisa Lightbourn)

Paul Fraumeni

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Bruce Kidd

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

From the moment you start watching Joe’s Basketball Diaries, you realize this is not your typical sports show.

After a brief intro featuring the spoken word poetry of University of Toronto student Hannah Flores, host Professor Joseph Wong kicks off the first episode with a question to his four guests: What they were doing when the Raptors won the NBA championship on June 13, 2019?

Within seconds, the discussion is no longer simply about that moment, or even basketball per se, but about us, our city and society more broadly – all through the lens of sport.

“I don’t do my sports without politics,” says Shireen Ahmed, a CBC sports journalist. “For racialized folks and people on the margins, that’s what the experience is.”

“I think we connect more in our struggles than we ever do in our strengths,” says Miranda Ayim, a three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that sports are popular, but that popularity doesn’t equal inclusion – that popularity doesn’t equal equality,” says Simon Darnell, an associate professor of sport for development and peace in U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

“The overarching narrative of the history of modern sports has been that of exclusion and the struggle for inclusion,” says Bruce Kidd, an Olympic runner, professor emeritus of sport and public policy at KPE and U of T’s ombudsperson.

The provocative commentary is exactly what Wong, a big basketball fan, was looking for. He says sports provide an ideal vehicle to host frank discussions on race, inclusivity, leadership and global citizenship – discussions U of T is uniquely positioned to facilitate as a top public university where scholars are bringing forward bold, new ideas and tackling complex global problems.

“This series brings difficult issues to the fore and people who have intelligent, actionable things to say about them,” says Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, a professor of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Roz and Ralph Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

“That's really one of the aims of the show. Through this conversation, we're not coming up with a lifesaving technology, but we are talking about the value of different lives and about how lives are lived in different ways in different communities.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries officially launches Nov. 16 as a six-episode series, airing biweekly on U of T’s YouTube channel. Each 30-minute episode [see the episode guide below] features guests from inside and outside the university who weigh in on topical subjects such as racism and mental health to women in sport and globalization.

“This series really shows how interwoven U of T is with the city, its culture, and all the communities it represents – and Joe is so right for this series,” says Lisa Lightbourn, a creative producer at U of T Communications who worked with Wong and fellow co-producer Anna Weigt-Bienzle to create the series. “He’s a highly respected scholar in areas like democracy and international development, and he relates to everyone.

“This is not an interview, but a conversation like you’d have around a table at a dinner party – a conversation you wouldn’t want to miss.”

It’s already generating a buzz, with one of the show’s early guests giving the series a shoutout on the popular podcast The Raptors Show with Will Lou.

Janelle Joseph, a guest on the “Model Minority” episode, says Joe’s Basketball Diaries makes scholars’ work and insights on sports and society available to a much broader audience.

“So many researchers and people who are really interested in exploring the sociology of sport typically share our work through books and academic articles,” says Joseph, an assistant professor of critical studies of race and Indigeneity at KPE.

“But there are so many people who are really interested in sport, and they are not reading the academic literature. So, I think the real value of this series is that it’s a direct link to topics that people are really passionate about and creating conversations that are, in an accessible way, focusing on equity, diversity and anti-racism issues.”

Wesley Cheng, an online content creator at TSN and another guest on the episode, agrees.

“At that Raptors parade in 2019, there were a million people on the streets,” Cheng says. “What type of event could do something like that in Toronto? Sport is what brings us all together, and that's probably what I care the most about with this series.

“It's just to remind people that there's a way for a sport to bring all of us together and to remind us that, regardless of race, gender, social differences, we're not that different as people.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries episode guide:

Episode one: Does sport transcend borders and politics?

Shireen Ahmed, sports journalist; Bruce Kidd, professor emeritus, sport and public policy at KPE; Simon Darnell, associate professor, sport for development and peace at KPE; Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.
The inaugural episode explores the question of whether sport does transcend borders and politics. We examine the role of organizations like the IOC in supporting and advocating for peace and development, as well as the ways countries use sport and even athletes to build prestige. We also consider the role of media and political activism in sport and whether the industry can be a force for good moving forward.

Episode two: mental health

Sabrina Razack, educator and a former KPE PhD student; Jhanelle Peters, mental health clinician, Toronto Raptors; Madhav Trivedi, interim head coach men’s basketball, U of T; Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and certified wellness coach.
This episode dives into sports and mental health, including the unique challenges that can come with being an athlete. We touch on the pressures athletes face around public scrutiny, expectations, body image and more – and how they mirror what we, as non-athletes and students, go through in daily life. We also discuss what’s being done right and where society still needs to improve.

Episode three: model minority

Takashi Fujitani, director, Dr. David Chu Program in Asia-Pacific Studies; Clement Chu, president and founder, Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association; Wesley Cheng, content creator, TSN; Janelle Joseph, assistant professor, critical studies of race and Indigeneity at KPE.
In this episode we explore racism, xenophobia, and the lack of Asian and Indigenous representation in sport. We talk about the rise of anti-Asian racism since the start of the pandemic and how organizations like the Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association and Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League are making a difference in the lives of athletes of all levels, students and community members.

Episode four: community

Alex Wong, NBA features writer and producer/co-host of the Raptors Show with Will Lou; Sami Hill, Team Canada Basketball; Kareem Griffin, co-founder Canletes Sports; Perry King, author and communications officer at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
The words “community” and “sport” are forever intertwined. In this episode we will bring together members of the sports community to discuss how things have changed in the way we grow and support athletes at a community, grassroot level. We will discuss the challenges around infrastructure in our city and what our collective responsibility is in both our local and international communities.

Episode five: globalization and sport. Who holds the power?

• David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee; Fitriya Mohamed, co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League; Ansh Sanyal, senior director of brand and marketing at Canadian Elite Basketball League; Vivek Jacob, Raptors staff writer and U of T alumnus.
In this episode we go deep into the power of sport and who holds it – from the organizations and athletes to the government bodies and fans. We will touch on the cultural impact of sport and the importance of leadership and visibility, while also looking at the darker side of the industry, which is the economic value of the team and its athletes, and the challenges that often presents.

Episode six: women in sport

Tamara Tatham, Varsity Blues women’s head basketball coach; Amreen Kadwa, founder of Hijabi Ballers; Hannah Flores, U of T second year undergraduate student and spoken word poet; Nicole Kaniki, U of T’s director of equity, diversity and inclusion in research and innovation; Savanna Hamilton, Raptors reporter, Sportsnet.
For our final episode of the series, we will discuss the challenges that come with being a woman in sport, whether that’s an athlete on the court, a journalist in the field or a coach on the sidelines. The scrutiny women face goes beyond the wage gap. Female identifying athletes face undue pressure when it comes to their bodies, how they handle themselves on and off the court and the expectations we see put on racialized and LGBTQ+ women based on societal standards.

How the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics could heal a post-coronavirus world: U of T's Bruce Kidd

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 13:14:18 +0000

How the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics could heal a post-coronavirus world: U of T's Bruce Kidd

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 03/27/2020 - 09:14

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A student lights the Olympic flame during a ‘Flame of Recovery’ ceremony in Japan held the day after the decision was made to postpone the Tokyo Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic (photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)

Topic

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Olympics

The Conversation

U of T Scarborough

The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should bring the world back together in a reinvigorated spirit of Olympism – the ideal that sport should be conducted at the service of humane social development, international understanding and peace.

While it’s often forgotten today in the preoccupation with medals and marketing, Olympism is the body of ideas that provides the essential rationale for the modern Olympic Movement. It was first articulated by Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin in the late 19th century.

When I was chair of the Olympic Academy of Canada, we set out seven different aspirations of Olympism, including the beliefs that sport should be educational and that athletes and organizers should pursue excellence in all areas of their lives. We taught that the overarching goal of Olympism is international understanding, the commitment to respect and afford dignity to all peoples, regardless of political, religious and social differences.

Develop respect through sport

Coubertin developed his ideas for the modern Olympics at a time when the European powers were rapidly arming themselves for the catastrophe that became the First World War. He strategized that through international sport, and the co-mingling of athletes and spectators, people could develop respect for each other and hopefully create social networks that could work against groups that were promoting war.

At this time of new manifestations of xenophobia, when the border closings required to block the spread of the coronavirus have unleashed new hatreds in many parts of the world, the spirit of Olympism is needed more than ever before. The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should be planned as celebrations and affirmations of internationalism and intercultural understanding.

I am confident that the Japanese Olympic organizers can do exactly that – they did it before in 1964. I know from personal experience.

I competed in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. The Games were staged as the culmination of a multi-year plan to rebuild Tokyo and Japanese society after the devastation of the Second World War, two atom bombs and the subsequent U.S. occupation.

Revitalized sports across Japan

The organizers built beautiful new stadiums and parks, opened new highways and introduced dramatic new technology like colour television and the high-speed bullet train, put into service with initial speeds of 320 kilometres per hour. They revitalized sports, physical education and workplace fitness and recreation right across the country.

What I most remember was the pervasive spirit of Olympism. Every scoreboard proclaimed Coubertin’s famous quote about human effort: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Author Bruce Kidd competed in the 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre events at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (photo courtesy of Canadian Olympic Committee, CC BY)

The organizers provided opportunities for every athlete to visit a Japanese family for dinner and learn about Japanese culture.

A new standard for artistic expression

The opening ceremonies were breathtaking, setting a new standard for artistic expression, employing fireworks, jet planes tracing the Olympic rings in the sky, thousands of balloons and pigeons and music – all for the first time.

I particularly remember the re-broadcast of a speech by Coubertin that was first played at the 1936 Olympics, a year before his death. I was most moved by the arrival of the Olympic torch. It wasn’t a celebrated athlete who ran up the steps to light the cauldron but 19-year-old Yoshinori Sakai, who had been born in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, the day the atom bomb destroyed the city.

Wherever you went in Japan, someone would approach you, bow and say: “No more Hiroshima!” I felt very proud to be part of a movement that contributed to healing, regeneration and intercultural understanding.

Five interlocking Olympic rings created by jet planes drift over the stadium during the opening ceremonies for the 1964 Olympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Tokyo used its 1964 Olympics to show off a miraculous recovery from defeat in the Second World War (photo by AP Photo/File)

In recent years, that spirit has been lost in the global medal race and the understandable concern about costs, performance-enhancing drugs and security.

Instead of going to an Olympics to engage with athletes from other countries and learn about another culture, athletes fly in for their events, compete and go home.

Focus on performance dominates

As long ago as the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, I did a study of the extent to which Canadian athletes participated in the Olympic spirit and found that very few did. “I could have competed in Don Mills (a section of Toronto) for all that I learned about Korea,” one prominent athlete told me.

The focus on performance to the exclusion of everything else is even stronger today.

Many athletes seek something greater than sport in the Olympics. Double Olympic champion Rosie MacLennan tells me that all the time. That sentiment was the basis for the overwhelming call by Canadian athletes for a postponement of the 2020 Olympics on the grounds that sport should put its needs aside in the interests of a united fight against the pandemic. That’s why so many athletes volunteer for charities and community service both during and after their careers.

I am confident that if the Tokyo Games were repositioned as a celebration of Olympism, it would not take away from the athleticism of the Games.

To be sure, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) face daunting logistical challenges in rescheduling the Games, but if they provide the leadership, they have the power and the experience to re-invigorate the spirit of Olympism at the Games. They already do this in the Youth Olympic Games, where several days are devoted to intercultural exchanges, and at the International and National Olympic Academies.

When the pandemic runs its course, we need to rebuild all our societies in a humanitarian way. The IOC and IPC can inspire that commitment with Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics devoted to Olympism.

Bruce Kidd is a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education at the University of Toronto.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Celebrating Hart House's 100th birthday: A photo gallery

davidlee1 — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Celebrating Hart House's 100th birthday: A photo gallery

davidlee1 Mon, 11/11/2019 - 00:00

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A view of Hart House in April of 1925 (photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Topic

Hart House celebrates its 100^th birthday today, but the building has served as a focal point at the University of Toronto – and, indeed, the city – for more than a century.

It got its start before the First World War when Vincent Massey, a University College alumnus who would become U of T's chancellor and governor general, convinced his family to fund a building that would serve as a place for recreation and co-curricular activities. The Hart in Hart House comes from Massey's grandfather, Hart Massey.

Construction began in 1911, with Hart House officially opening its doors on Nov. 11, 1919. But before that official opening, during the First World War, the building was used as a training and rehabilitation facility for soldiers.

There have been controversies over the century – women weren't given full access to Hart House until 1972 – but Hart House is now an inclusive space and continues to this day to be a focal point for recreation, wellness, music, visual arts, theatre, literary arts, dialogue and more.

"Today, as we embark on our 100^th anniversary, Hart House is fully committed to ensuring that every student of this university – regardless of identity, background or ability – feels welcome at Hart House and sees themselves, their stories and their priorities reflected in what we do,” says John Monahan, the current warden of Hart House.

“If we do that, I am excited by the potential for the 100^th anniversary year to create unforgettable new memories for everyone who has ever engaged with the magic that is Hart House, as well as for those many who will be encountering Hart House for the first time.”

Read about Hart House's first century and its celebration events

This undated photo shows the land on which Hart House was built. Hart House was constructed on top of the buried Taddle Creek, which had been an important gathering place for Indigenous groups, including the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Under construction: This photo was taken after 1911. Massive foundations were needed to support the building, which pushed construction costs at the time from $500,000 to $2 million (photo courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Vincent Massey, his wife, Alice, and their two children pose in front of the Hart House cornerstone. The years 1911-1919 are inscribed on the cornerstone to mark the eight years of construction (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Before construction was finished, Hart House was used to help Canadian soldiers train during the First World War. Veterans used the building as a rehabilitation facility and are seen here playing badminton in the gymnasium in this photo taken between 1917 and 1919. Hart House officially opened its doors on Nov. 11, 1919, exactly one year after the war ended (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Hart House and Soldiers’ Tower in the 1920s: Although Hart House was opened in 1919, Soldiers’ Tower was not completed until 1924 (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Alumni gather in Hart House’s Great Hall for a convocation banquet in 1938 (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Attendees dress up for the Hart House Masquerade Ball in 1939, organized by the Sketch Club. The Sketch Club, which would later become the Hart House Art Committee, used the ticket sales from the ball to fund their art acquisitions, some of which are still part of the collection today (photo courtesy of Hart House)

By 1939, the world was at war again. Hart House became a place of refuge for hundreds of British children who came to Canada to escape the war. Children learned to sketch and paint at the art gallery while the gym was turned into a games area and the Debates Room was turned into a children’s library. In this photo from 1943, students in military uniforms lounge in the Hart House Library (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Under the conditions of Vincent Massey’s donation, Hart House was initially restricted to men. In 1954, permanent female washrooms were installed and women were allowed access to the Arbor Room, but only after 3:30 p.m. It wasn’t until 1972, five years after Massey’s death, that women received full access to Hart House. It took another 25 years for Hart House to see its first female warden, Margaret Hancock. In this photo, taken in the 1950s, women protest their exclusion (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stand outside of Hart House in 1951 during their month-long royal visit to Canada (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Over the past century, Hart House has been a forum for debate and dialogue, and has played host to prime ministers, world leaders, premiers, cabinet officials, diplomats and more. Perhaps the most famous debate took place in 1957 between a young Stephen Lewis and then-senator John F. Kennedy, who is sitting third from the left in the first row in front of the table. This debate also attracted protesters demanding that women be allowed to become full members of Hart House (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Long-distance runner Bruce Kidd (right) trains at the indoor running track alongside other student athletes in 1963. Kidd would compete in the 1964 Summer Olympics and later become the 11^th warden of Hart House. He also served as vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Alumni and graduating students gather at the Hart House quadrangle to listen to the legendary Northrop Frye as part of Hart House’s 50^th anniversary celebrations. Frye was named University Professor in 1967, U of T's first (photo courtesy of Hart House)

Varsity Blues athletes perform warm-up exercises on Back Campus before a football game in 1974. Hart House and Soldiers’ Tower stand in the background (photo courtesy of U of T Archives)

Acclaimed author and U of T alumna Margaret Atwood at the International Festival of Poetry in 1975, which was hosted at Hart House. Atwood graduated from U of T's Victoria College in 1961, later returning to serve as writer in residence. She has donated her papers to U of T Libraries, including the first handwritten draft of The Handmaid's Tale (photo courtesy of Hart House)

'Serious problems with the policy': U of T's Bruce Kidd on the ruling against Caster Semenya

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 03 May 2019 17:58:27 +0000

'Serious problems with the policy': U of T's Bruce Kidd on the ruling against Caster Semenya

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/03/2019 - 13:58

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Switzerland's Court of Arbitration for Sport this week ruled against the two-time Olympic champion in the 800 metres for her high testosterone levels (photo by Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Global Lens

Bruce Kidd

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Global

Sport

Caster Semenya, the South African 800-metre Olympic and world champion, recently lost her landmark legal case against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), a global regulatory body.

The ruling by the Court of Administration for Sport (CAS) means Semenya will have to take medication to reduce her testosterone if she wants to run internationally at events between 400 metres and one mile.

The University of Toronto’s Jelena Damjanovic spoke to Professor Bruce Kidd from the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education about the highly contentious case. In 2015, Kidd helped initiate Indian sprinter Dutee Chand’s successful appeal, at CAS, of the IAAF’s previous attempt to legislate natural testosterone in female athletes.

As a result of that ruling, both Chand and Semanya competed in the Rio Olympic Games without restriction.

What was your response to Caster Semenya losing her case against the IAAF? Were you surprised?

I was devastated, and completely surprised. From my point of view, the IAAF policy mistakes the science, flies in the face of best practice in policy-making, overrides human rights and will cause tremendous anxiety and even harm among the female athletes in the world, particularly those in the Global South. Even the CAS decision cautions that there are serious problems with the policy, including the potential for harm it will cause among women it targets.

What is the counter-argument to IAAF’s position that high testosterone in female athletes gives them an unfair advantage when competing in women’s sport?

There are two main counter-arguments. The first speaks to the values of sports. High natural testosterone occurs as the result of a genetic mutation, and, in that way, it’s no different than the hundreds of other genetic mutations, such as exceptional height, reach and ability to draw oxygen into the bloodstream that advantage other top athletes. Moreover, the most consistent factor determining performance is personal and national income because of the advantages they can buy such as better training facilities, the best food, top coaches, medical assistance, and so on. No effort is made to balance out these other factors. Except for performance-enhancing drugs, the culture applauds athletic excellence regardless of determinations. So why single out this one factor? CAS went out of its way to emphasize that Caster was not cheating, and that she should be admired for her athleticism and courage.

The second is practical. Natural testosterone is not a reliable measure; it does not play out in the predictable, mechanical way that the IAAF assumes – its effects can vary tremendously, even in the same individual, in response to other factors. As CAS cautioned, it will be very hard – if not impossible – for IAAF to monitor natural testosterone without a highly invasive regime that will trample athletes’ rights.

How will the CAS ruling affect transgender athletes preparing to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo?

It’s expected that the IOC will use the CAS ruling to establish testosterone levels for athletes transitioning from male to female at the level set by the IAAF for Caster, i.e. five nanomoles. The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport recommends that there should be no such requirement.

What happens next?

That, too, is an open question. Caster and her legal team have 30 days to decide to appeal to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, but since appeals are limited to procedural matters, the chances of success are slim.

CAS said that the evidence for applying the policy to the 1,500 [metre] and one mile is weak, so Caster might enter one of those races and, if barred, launch another appeal. She may simply step up to the 5,000, which some top middle-distance runners have done in the past, and circumvent the policy altogether.

Certainly, the application of the policy will be closely monitored by the athletes and human rights groups who have fought against this policy. If, as has happened frequently in the past, abuses occur, they can launch another challenge at CAS. As CAS itself suggested, the issues are far from over.

Linking campus to nature: Work begins on one-of-a-kind, accessible trail at U of T Scarborough

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 22 May 2018 14:13:20 +0000

Linking campus to nature: Work begins on one-of-a-kind, accessible trail at U of T Scarborough

noreen.rasbach Tue, 05/22/2018 - 10:13

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Rendering of how the path will look, with lookouts, lighting and other safety and security features.

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The University of Toronto Scarborough has broken ground on a new path that will wind through trees and improve access to the wilderness and trails of the Highland Creek Valley.

“I’m so pleased that we are going to open a much more accessible, beautiful and enjoyable path to our remarkable Highland Creek Valley and connect the upstairs campus into the wilderness below for faculty, staff and students and members of the public,” said Bruce Kidd, vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough, at last week's groundbreaking ceremony.

The new four-season trail will be 500 metres long and will have a slope of no more than a five-per-cent grade – making it more enjoyable for those with mobility issues.

The trail will feature a seven-tier amphitheatre on one end (rendering is at left), and will be elevated in several places, allowing people to feel as though they are right in the treetop canopy.

Elder Wendy Phillips will consult on planting along the path, ensuring that new vegetation will be native to the region and will offer opportunities for foraging.

The Highland Creek Valley provides recreational spaces, campus views, naturalized areas and habitat at U of T Scarborough, as well as serving as the location for important teaching and research. For Kidd, the valley also serves as a place of many happy memories – he attended summer camp there with his younger brother, Ross, in the early 1950s and later trained for marathons on the trails.

The new path will feature resting areas, lookouts, seating, a continuous handrail, as well as lighting and other safety and security features. It has been designed to be universally accessible by meeting the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

“Accessibility has always been built into the DNA of this campus,” said David Onley, the former lieutenant-governor of Ontario who is an alumnus and senior lecturer and distinguished visitor in the department of political science at U of T Scarborough.

Onley said in 1970, he attended the campus, then known as Scarborough College, because of its accessibility.

“Since that time, with each new building, standards have improved – Scarborough has kept pace,” he said. “This is very important because it allows us as an institution to keep pace with the changes of society and, in fact, in Scarborough, U of T Scarborough is a perfect example of the way the rest of the province and many other institutions should be proceeding in terms of accessibility.”

Onley recalled that when he began teaching at U of T Scarborough in 2015, Kidd was a strong supporter and contributed creative ideas to Onley’s proposal for a course on accessibility and politics of disability.

“It’s tremendously appropriate that this event is being held and that it’s coinciding with Bruce’s departure,” said Onley. “And so, to you Bruce, thank you very, very much for your support and I look forward to taking this scooter down the trail.”

Kidd is retiring at the end of July. At the groundbreaking, Onley, Phillips and U of T Scarborough Chief Administrative Officer Andrew Arifuzzaman presented Kidd with a framed print on behalf of the community. This Painting is a Mirror, by Indigenous artist Christi Belcourt, is described as reflecting beauty, compassionate acts, generosity and gentleness.

“Bruce, there could not have been a more appropriate piece for us to present to you today,” said Arifuzzaman. “Your generosity of spirit, kindness, compassion and boundless energy is now part of the UTSC fabric.”

Bruce Kidd (left) and David Onley at the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday (photo by Ken Jones)

'A true champion': Fond U of T farewells for soon-to-retire Bruce Kidd

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 14 May 2018 16:31:24 +0000

'A true champion': Fond U of T farewells for soon-to-retire Bruce Kidd

noreen.rasbach Mon, 05/14/2018 - 12:31

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"Bruce (Kidd) has been a true champion of our role as a city-building institution," said U of T President Meric Gertler at Friday's farewell reception for the U of T Scarborough principal and vice-president (photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

He may be retiring from his role as principal of University of Toronto Scarborough and vice-president of U of T, but Professor Bruce Kidd isn't giving up public service or his long-time advocacy of equity and diversity.

At a farewell reception Friday, Kidd expressed his gratitude to friends, family and colleagues who gathered to honour his distinguished career.

He used the occasion to speak of the need for inclusive universities that promote critical thinking.

“We say that diversity fuels excellence, but it's not just enough to bring people of difference together,” Kidd said. “We must be intentional about how we eliminate barriers that are systemic and cause disadvantages for members of our community.

“If we do that, and I'm confident we can, UTSC will continue to grow and mature in ways that benefit all of our estates, partners, and surrounding community and continue to contribute in remarkable ways to Canada's best university."

Guests at Friday's reception spoke of Kidd's legacy of advocacy for diversity, equity and healthy living, and noted Kidd’s work in making education more accessible for everyone, especially for the most marginalized.

“Bruce has been a true champion of our role as a city-building institution, and he’s really used his time here to advance the status of the University of Toronto Scarborough as an anchor institution in the Eastern GTA,” said U of T President Meric Gertler.

“As we were gearing up to celebrate this wonderful campus's 50^th anniversary, Bruce Kidd – a great, Scarborough-bred citizen of the University of Toronto – agreed to help lead this campus forward. I have to say as president, I was deeply deeply grateful, Bruce, when you said yes. Since then, he has built on its distinctive strengths, including its tradition of innovation in education and its commitment to the surrounding community.”

U of T President Meric Gertler greets Bruce Kidd (photo by Ken Jones)

"Bruce is a stalwart champion of rights and responsibilities, both here at the university and in society at large,” said U of T Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr.

“His advocacy and commitment are on the one hand very local, but on the other hand touches people across the world as he strives for justice in sport – as a societal and global equalizer."

In honour of Kidd, Regehr announced a U of T contribution to the Principal’s Scholarship in Arts, Culture and Media – an undergraduate scholarship established in 2016 that is awarded to one or more undergraduate students each year on the basis of financial need.

During the reception, U of T Scarborough Traditional Elder Wendy Phillips presented Kidd with an Eagle feather (pictured left) - a rare, high honour that Phillips explained is given to individuals based on their character and leadership qualities. What an individual has done for their nation and community is considered, as well as “what they have done to preserve this Earth now and for future generations," said Phillips.

The presentation was followed with two honour songs, a marking of the occasion by the Red Hawk Singers – a group of Indigenous singers from Six Nations Grand River and Peterborough.

Kidd, a former Olympian and celebrated Canadian track and field athlete, began his relationship with U of T on the university’s track team while still in high school back in the late 1950s. Since then, he has served as an academic leader in roles such as the founding dean of U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, and the warden of Hart House.

Kidd became U of T Scarborough’s interim principal in 2014. Integrating into a new and complex community like the Scarborough campus wasn’t expected to be an easy task, said Professor Bill Gough, U of T Scarborough's vice-principal academic and dean. “However, almost overnight, Bruce embraced UTSC, and UTSC embraced him.”

Gough noted Kidd’s love for Scarborough, his constant exploring of local bicycle trails and the initiation of his now legendary campus walks into the beautiful Highland Creek Valley.

“[He] became our staunchest advocate, and his advocacy came with the gravitas of a deeply respected scholar and U of T administrator.”

Sitharsana Srithas, a former students' union president at U of T Scarborough, praised Kidd for his work with student leadership.

“There’s this stigma that says students and university administration don't get along, that administration is dismissive – but working with Principal Kidd has proved time and time again that that is not the case.

“Your commitment to equity and inclusion has always been something that inspired me and several other student leaders,” she said.

Kidd will continue as co-chair for an advisory panel that recently created Ontario’s Action Plan on Advancing Opportunities for Women and Girls in Sport. He is also co-chair of the federal-provincial-territorial working group on women and sport – a group created by federal, provincial and territorial governments to examine the challenges facing girls and women.

He is also chair of the selection committee for Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

U of T Chancellor Michael Wilson concluded the remarks by quoting an interview in which Kidd spoke about his recent work with a new working group on gender equity in sport.

“’Although there’s been tremendous progress regarding equity and inclusion, there’s still much to be done. More needs to be done on engaging the majority of girls and women in Canada who are not involved in sport at all,’” quoted Wilson.

“This is vintage Bruce Kidd,” said Wilson. “True to form he’s not stopping to rest on his laurels – he has another race to run.”

Read the full interview with Bruce Kidd

U of T's Bruce Kidd named to new working group on gender equity in sports

ullahnor — Thu, 03 May 2018 19:49:38 +0000

U of T's Bruce Kidd named to new working group on gender equity in sports

ullahnor Thu, 05/03/2018 - 15:49

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(photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

Former Olympian and University of Scarborough Principal Bruce Kidd has been named to a federal working group to advance gender equity in sports.

Last week, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Kirsty Duncan, announced the 12-member working group to address the lack of equity in sports.

Earlier this year, the federal government earmarked an initial $30 million over three years to support research into initiatives to promote women's and girls' participation in sports, and to support national sports organizations in promoting greater inclusion of women and girls.

The members of the working group will share their experiences and insights on how to achieve equity in sport by 2035, looking at issues like at delivering programming for women and girls, increasing leadership positions for women, and gender-based violence and sexual harassment.

Kidd, a professor and vice-president at U of T, is a celebrated Canadian track and field athlete who has been involved for years on sport policy and eradicating sexism and racism in sporting communities around the world.

U of T's Raquel Russell spoke to Kidd about the new working group and why it’s an important step in addressing gender equity in sports.

Why is it necessary to have a working group on gender equity in sport?

Although there’s been tremendous progress regarding equity and inclusion, there’s still much to be done. More needs to be done on engaging the majority of girls and women in Canada who are not involved in sport at all. Work also needs to be done making leadership opportunities more available to women, and totally eliminating gender-based violence.

There also needs to be change in the way the media covers sport to provide more visibility, more appropriate and more inclusive coverage of the outstanding women who are part of Canadian sports teams.

What do you hope to bring to this role?

It’s a great honour that my input continues to be valued – I’ve been involved in this struggle for a very long time. I’m also currently involved in two efforts that will hopefully inform this process. First, at the instigation of Premier [Kathleen] Wynne, the Ontario government created an advisory panel to look at Ontario sport policy with a particular emphasis on including girls and women. The premier got me to co-chair that, and as a result of those efforts, we created the new Ontario’s Action Plan on Advancing Opportunities for Women and Girls in Sport.

Secondly, I’m involved in the federal provincial territorial working group on women and sport, an overarching body created by federal, provincial and territorial governments to examine the challenges facing girls and women, and they appointed me to be co-chair. So along with one or two others in the working group, hopefully I can connect the work that’s been done at a fairly intensive level in the last couple of years to this new initiative.

What do you hope to see accomplished by this working group?

I’m hoping that we can advise Minister Duncan on how to make sure the money is used really well and go to the priorities that the activists in the sports community have already identified. My involvement in this group is an extension of the work that colleagues and I at U of T Scarborough and other parts of U of T have long done on issues of equity. Sport has always been my great love, and it’s great to have an opportunity to make it better.

Your time as U of T Vice President and U of T Scarborough Principal is soon coming to an end. Is this project a hint at the type of work you’ll be doing during retirement?

I’ve been involved in academic leadership, and I’ve been involved in the arts and other activities. I think if there’s one central thread, it’s being involved in various efforts to change and improve Canadian sport.

For the immediate time, I will be involved in the bodies I mentioned earlier as well as being the chair of the selection committee for Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. I’m also still deeply involved in the fight against the sex test in international sport. We won the first round in the case of [Indian sprinter] Dutee Chand, but now the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has initiated a new discriminatory policy targeted against the brilliant South African runner Caster Semenya.

In the last few days, between meetings, I've spent most of my day working on that because that is a battle that still has not been won.

CBC Sports' Scott Russell says U of T swimmer Kylie Masse is a proud product of Canadian universities

ullahnor — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 16:46:58 +0000

CBC Sports' Scott Russell says U of T swimmer Kylie Masse is a proud product of Canadian universities

ullahnor Fri, 07/28/2017 - 12:46

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Backstroke world champion Kylie Masse is a proud product of the Canadian university system, says CBC's Scott Russell (photo by Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images)

Topic

Canadian sports veteran Scott Russell writes that Kylie Masse's world record shows Canadian schools can still produce champions.

“Masse studies kinesiology full-time at the University of Toronto and is an award-winning athlete not only because of what she does in the pool with her collegiate squad, the Varsity Blues, but also because of her commitment to sportsmanship and the leadership qualities she possesses,” he writes at CBC Sports.

Russell goes on to talk about challenges with Canada's top high-performance athletes heading south of the border for at least part of their training because the U.S. collegiate sports scholarship system offers significant funding. A system like that does not exist in Canada, he says.

“But Masse is a clear indicator that Canadian university sport is still fertile ground for nurturing champions,” he adds.

Russell quotes Masse's coach Byron MacDonald, who heads up the U of T swimming team.

“She remained in Canada for university and made her giant strides on the world stage because of the swim program at the University of Toronto,” MacDonald states in the piece. “While receiving less glamour than their NCAA counterparts, the Canadian university swim program constantly produces top athletes.”

Coach Linda Kiefer adds that swimmers like Masse are “showing that you can combine full-time academics and swimming at this level.”

And Olympian Bruce Kidd, vice-president, principal of the University of Toronto Scarborough, believes Masse's win “fortifies the place of the student-athlete in Canadian university sport.”

“It's a tribute to her remarkable personal qualities, her coaches at U of T and the Canadian Sports Centre Ontario,” Kidd says in the article. “Kylie is just another one who proves that you can attend and benefit from an outstanding academic program in one of the best universities in the world, while pursuing your athletic dreams – all right here in Canada.”

The finest of athletes: Bruce Kidd on the 10th North American Indigenous Games

ullahnor — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 21:02:09 +0000

The finest of athletes: Bruce Kidd on the 10th North American Indigenous Games

ullahnor Tue, 07/18/2017 - 17:02

Cutline

(photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

City & Culture

UTSC

Indigenous

Truth and Reconciliation

Bruce Kidd

Olympian Bruce Kidd is vice-president and principal, U of T Scarborough.

U of T News is reposting his blog post below on the 10th North American Indigenous Games. U of T Scarborough is hosting four sports for the competition, and Kidd writes about why Indigenous sports deserve our support.

I was asked to serve as one of two non-Indigenous flag holders for Team 88 at this weekend’s opening ceremonies of the Toronto 2017 North American Indigenous Games at the Aviva Centre. That was a weighty honour, representing the commitment of Canadians – the members of what we can call ‘settler society’ – to realize the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The 88 in the flag I carried refers to the TRC’s 88th Call to Action, which urges governments and civil society to ensure the long-term growth of Indigenous sport.

This is the 10th North American Indigenous Games. Teams from 13 provinces and territories of Canada and 13 regions from the U.S. are participating. This is the largest-ever sporting and cultural gathering of Indigenous Peoples in North America, with more than 5,000 participants and 2,000 volunteers. It’s the first time that these important games have been held east of the Ontario-Manitoba border and only the second time since Winnipeg in 2002 that the Games have come to a major Canadian city.

These are inspirational ceremonies and electrifying competitions.

All of us at U of T Scarborough are proud that our campus will be hosting four sports: Athletics (cross-country running), Badminton, Baseball and Swimming.

I am deeply moved by the project that is the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). At a time when young Indigenous people and their communities face so many challenges, NAIG provides a vehicle for healthy self- and community-development through the shared activities of sport and the arts.

I first saw this spirit in action when I visited the 1993 NAIG in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and I’m convinced it works. It was extraordinary to see the way these Games inspire initiative, self-discipline, community development and collaboration, bringing people from different parts of the continent together.

North America’s First Nations have a long and proud history in sport. In the 19th century, George Beers, the ‘father of Lacrosse’ as we know it, deemed First Nations athletes ‘the finest of men.’ These athletes were considered such extraordinary competitors, that in those racist times, they were often banned outright from Euro-Canadian competition, lest they won all the prizes. (In response, some of them tried to pass as white to find a way into those competitions. A favourite trick was growing barbershop mustaches because it was believed that Indigenous people couldn't grow facial hair.)

Sadly, the ravages of residential schools and the economic and social marginalization of the reserves meant much of this proud sport tradition was obliterated in the 20th century. But during the last 30 years, thanks to the efforts of remarkable leaders like Grand Chief Willie Littlechild, Alwyn Morris and most recently Mary Spencer, a concerted effort is being made to revive and strengthen Indigenous sports, and NAIG plays a big part. It deserves our support.

Just as the modern Olympic games were planned to stimulate individual achievement and community development among the leading nations of the 19th century, so NAIG has been designed as a similar project in our own times for the founding nations of North America. It’s an incredible sporting and cultural celebration that is not to be missed.

#Rio2016: Investing in the best can bring out the best in all of us

lavende4 — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 17:58:49 +0000

#Rio2016: Investing in the best can bring out the best in all of us

lavende4 Mon, 08/22/2016 - 13:58

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The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre represents the largest investment in amateur sport development in Canada and is the home of three Olympians (Ken Jones photo)

Bruce Kidd

Author legacy

Bruce Kidd

Topic

Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre

Subheadline

“When we fail to invest in public facilities, we shortchange those who cannot afford to pay out of their own pocket”: Bruce Kidd

The breakout performance of 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak and the success of our women’s swim team made Canadians proud during these Olympic Games.

For all Canadians – and especially those living in Ontario and in Toronto – there is a special element to Oleksiak’s stellar performance in which we should take particular pride. She achieved it while training in a state-of-the-art public facility that is open to people of all ages and abilities, not just elite athletes, and serves as a site for research and education.

Four years ago when we broke ground on the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus there were many skeptics. The $205-million price tag of the project raised eyebrows among those inclined to cut costs. But with the support of the city, province and federal government and $30 million from our own students at U of T Scarborough, we built a facility that is the envy of many.

The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre is co-owned by the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto, with the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario as the major tenant, and represents the single largest investment ever made in amateur sport development in Canada. Now it also is the home of three Olympic medalists – Oleksiak, U of T Varsity Blues swimmer Kylie Masse and Winnipeg native Chantal Van Landeghem, as well as other Olympians and Paralympians competing in Rio.

Bruce Kidd

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Read about Hart House's first century and its celebration events

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Linking campus to nature: Work begins on one-of-a-kind, accessible trail at U of T Scarborough

'A true champion': Fond U of T farewells for soon-to-retire Bruce Kidd

Read the full interview with Bruce Kidd

U of T's Bruce Kidd named to new working group on gender equity in sports

CBC Sports' Scott Russell says U of T swimmer Kylie Masse is a proud product of Canadian universities

Read more about Masse's record-breaking performance

The finest of athletes: Bruce Kidd on the 10th North American Indigenous Games

Read more about student volunteers at NAIG

#Rio2016: Investing in the best can bring out the best in all of us

Read more about U of T at #Rio2016