THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Consider it a belated birthday gift.
Marcel Aubut began campaigning for the presidency of the Canadian Olympic Committee three months ago, on his birthday.
On Saturday, he was voted in as president-elect.
"The COC, the national sports federations and athletes can count on me to work with all stakeholders in the Canadian sport system to take this organization to the next level," he told reporters following the vote.
Aubut will take over the position from incumbent president Michael Chambers at the COC’s annual meeting after the 2010 Games.
He said it’s going to be a tough time for sport.
While the government and private sector is currently pumping millions of dollars into sport in the lead-up to the 2010 Olympics, that kind of support may dry up pretty quickly post-Games.
But Aubut said as the former president and co-owner of the Quebec Nordiques and a partner in law firm Heenan Blaikie, he has the contacts and the expertise to keep the COC top of mind for government and corporate funds.
"The danger that we have in Canada is we focus on sport only when we have major events, after that nobody hears about it," he said.
"That has to change, or we bring enough events to make sure we get the focus on the regular basis."
Reports had suggested that if elected, Aubut would ask current COC Executive Director Chris Rudge to step aside.
"He is going to end after the Games, that’s his contract," said Aubut.
A search committee will be struck to find his replacement, said Aubut.
"We are going to have new people and it will probably be a good thing if that person comes from the machine to complete the fact that I am not a full-time sports person," he said.
Rudge welcomed Aubut’s election.
"I think it’s exciting," he said.
"Marcel is very dynamic and he’s accomplished a lot of exciting things in his life."
Chambers said he has been working closely with Aubut since he joined the executive committee of the COC in 2005 and the two have become good friends.
He said he’s looking forward to getting Aubut up to speed on the job.
"There’s no sharing formally of any tasks, all of the responsibility resides with the president," said Chambers.
"However, we have a president-elect and I will be endeavouring to have that president-elect shadow my activities."
Aubut is the first Francophone to hold the post of COC president since the committee was incorporated in 1947.
He was considered the front-runner for the post and defeated former rower Tricia Smith, who will serve as one of two vice-presidents of the committee.
Gordon Peterson, who represents the sport of diving on the COC, was elected to the second vice-presidential spot.
Wayne Russell, former CEO of Own the Podium, was acclaimed to a second term as treasurer.
Eight non-officer members were also elected: Therese Brisson, a two-time Olympic medallist in women’s ice hockey; Charmaine Crooks, a five-time Olympian in athletics; Martha Deacon, past-president of Badminton Canada and the chef de mission for the 2010 Commonwealth Games; Jean Dupre, director general of Speed Skating Canada; Gene Edworthy, past president of the Canadian Luge Association; William Hallett, senior vice-president and chief operating officer of Sport BC; Walter Sieber, former COC vice-president and Larry Smith, president and chief executive officer of the Montreal Alouettes.
Vancouver’s Olympic organizers offered their congratulations to the new team, saying it was great that Aubut would have the opportunity to get the experience of working alongside Chambers in the lead-up to the Games.
"The full slate of newly elected members are strong additions to the COC team and we look forward to their strong contribution to the success of the organization, " said a statement from John Furlong, the chief executive officer of the committee.
