NDP's Hardcastle wants strict regulations to treat head injuries

Windsor-Tecumseh NDP MP Cheryl Hardcastle wants the federal government's push for a national concussion strategy to result in concrete regulations for preventing and treating head injuries.

• National concussion treatment strategy in works

Across the country, concussion protocol in Canadian amateur sportsis spotty at best, said Hardcastle. She wants Ottawa to create uniformtreatment of head injuries, which currentlyvary from region to region.

She supports the latest mandate given to Canada's ministers of sport and health to come up with a national concussion treatment strategy, saying specific regulations will take pressure off young athletes who feel they need to play through injuries.

"We fail our kids if we don't provide a real concussion protocol that works for parents, players and the kids," she said. "There's a lot of pressure on a player to stay in the game and tough it out."

Ontario is poised to create some of the most stringent regulations in the country with Rowan's Law. The proposed legislation honours the young Ottawa rugby player Rowan Stringer, who died in May 2013 after sufferingthree concussions in a week.

• Rowan's Law: Ontario proposes concussion rules for youth sports

An inquest into the player's death made49 recommendations to the province, including the creation of legislation to govern all youth sport in the province when it comes to head injuries.

Ottawa has an opportunity to work with provinces like Ontario and implement national standards that protect all athletes, according to Hardcastle.

"It's something that's so important that we need to look at it across the country," she said.