Canadian Paralympic Committee congratulates Carla Qualtrough, new Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

OTTAWA, Nov. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Following today's announcement of Justin Trudeau's new cabinet, the Canadian Paralympic Committee would like to congratulate all the new ministers, particularly the new Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, the Hon. Carla Qualtrough.

"We are looking forward to working with the new government and ministers," said Gaétan Tardif, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "As they embark on planning their agenda and priorities, we are keenly interested in collaborating with Minister Qualtrough and forging a robust partnership, to continue to advance our country as a world leader in sport, and to enhance accessible opportunities in sport and physical activities for all Canadians."

A human rights lawyer, Qualtrough was the first Paralympian to be elected federally in Canada and is now the first one to be named Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. As a swimmer with a visual impairment, she represented Canada at the Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, winning three bronze medals.

From 2006 to 2010, she was President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and in 2013 was elected Vice President of the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC). Until recently she was a member of the Toronto 2015 Pan and Parapan America Games Sport and Legacy Committee. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, she was the International Paralympic Committee's Legal Officer and has been a member of its Legal and Ethics Committee since 2002.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca

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SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)

Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Phone: [phone] ext. 243, Cell: 613-298-4927, [email protected]; Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: [phone] ext. 224, Cell: 613-725-4339, [email protected]