4-time Olympic medallist Adam van Koeverden to oversee sport in PM Carney's new cabinet

Canadian kayak legend Adam van Koeverden, who recently was elected to a third term as a Member of Parliament, was named Secretary of State for Sport on Tuesday in Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet.

A Toronto native who was raised in nearby Oakville, Ont., the 43-year-old van Koeverden was sworn in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa along with 28 ministers and nine other secretaries of state.

Van Koeverden was first elected to the House of Commons in 2019 and was re-elected for a second time on April 28 in the Burlington North-Milton West riding (formerly Milton) by 5,983 votes.

In a joint statement, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee said they believe van Koeverden will bring an important voice to Parliament, "understanding the role sport can play in addressing our pressing challenges and advocating for the needs of Canadian athletes at all levels to help strengthen the country's sport system."

Van Koeverden is a four-time medallist at the Summer Games in sprint kayak, winning gold and bronze at his first Olympics in Athens in 2004, and following up with silver medals at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. He ended his competitive career following the Rio Olympics in 2016.

A 2022 Canada Sports Hall of Fame inductee, van Koeverden also won two world championship titles and eight medals overall. Van Koeverden was twice Canada's flag-bearer — at the closing ceremony in Athens and the opening ceremony in Beijing.

Sport unites Canadians like nothing else, bridging geography, language, and politics, according to the COC and CPC. Along with the entire Canadian sport system, each believes it can help van Koeverden, Carney and the Canadian government capitalize on a "unique and exciting moment" over the next four years during the Milan-Cortina Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, plus the FIFA World Cup next summer.

Toronto and Vancouver will each host five opening-round soccer matches plus a round-of-32 knockout match. Vancouver will also stage a round-of-16 game.

"Last summer, some 27 million Canadians tuned in to CBC/Radio-Canada to cheer on Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games," read the COC and CPC statement. "Millions more continue to rally behind Team Canada athletes at events at home and around the world as they make Canadians proud on the world stage.

"As Canadians continue to rally behind Team Canada, we look forward to working with Secretary of State van Koeverden and the Government of Canada to advance these efforts and transform Canada through the power of sport."

The federal sports portfolio has had a number of iterations over the years, often combined with other responsibilities. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had distinct sports ministers in his cabinets from 2015 to 2024, but Carney eliminated the role in his first cabinet named in March before the election.

Van Koeverden and the other secretaries of state — a long-dormant designation Carney is reviving — will have a more junior role, with less inclusion in full cabinet responsibilities.