Abby Hoffman has been a prominent figure in sports and health policy for more than five decades.
During her 15-year career as an international middle-distance runner, Ms. Hoffman competed in four Olympic Games, making the finals in the 800m in 1968 and 1972. She won medals at the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, and World Student Games, and won multiple national championships in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Apart from competition, Ms. Hoffman’s contributions have had lasting significance for the Canadian sport system. She is known for her commitment to equal opportunities for women in sport and for promoting social responsibility as a central principle of sports policy.
In the lead up to the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Ms. Hoffman and some colleagues advocated on behalf of Canadian athletes for adequate financial support and representation in the governance of Canadian sport bodies. These initiatives permanently changed athlete support systems and established athlete representation as a feature of the Canadian sport system.
Following her retirement from competition, Ms. Hoffman took on leadership roles in sport, becoming director general of Sport Canada, the federal agency responsible for the development of Canadian sport. During her tenure there, Canada’s sport system expanded dramatically, improved its financial and technical support, and created more opportunities for girls and women. At the same time, many Canadian athletes achieved their best-ever performances in international competitions.
Ms. Hoffman also served as an assistant deputy minister at Health Canada, working on an array of issues such as women’s health, access to pharmaceuticals, interpretation and implementation of the Canada Health Act, and Canada’s policies governing access to medical assistance in dying.
Ms. Hoffman is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received honorary doctorates from York University, the University of Toronto, and Acadia University.