09-05-2016, 08:16 AM
OTTAWA -- Canadian athletes keep racking up medals at the Sochi Olympics, and now more money is coming their way to keep them on the podium. Finance Minister Jim Flahertys latest budget -- released Tuesday while many Canadians were likely more interested on the Winter Games -- includes a $23-million annual boost in sports funding, starting next year. Of that, $11 million will be set aside for winter sports through Own the Podium, a not-for-profit group created to boost Canadas Olympic performances. The goal of Own the Podium is to prioritize funding on the Olympic and Paralympic sports in which Canada has the best shot at winning medals. It was born from the countrys crushing disappointment at failing to win gold medals on home turf at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and then again at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Canada went on to win a record 14 gold medals at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and a total of 18 medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The Canadian Olympic Committees goal for the Sochi Games is to improve on Vancouvers medal haul and finish at the top of the table for overall medals. So far, Canada has four more medals than at this point at the 2010 Games. On Tuesday, Canada trailed only Norway in the standings. Freestyle skier Dara Howell won Canadas fourth gold of the Sochi Games in the womens slopestyle event, while her teammate Kim Lamarre won the bronze. That brought Canadas medal count to nine -- four gold, three silver and two bronze. Only Norway, with 11 medals, has won more medals in Sochi. The rest of the $23 million in Flahertys budget will be divvied up between team sports, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Special Olympics Canada. In addition to that money, Special Olympics Canada is getting another $10.8-million spread over four years. "All Canadians are cheering on our Canadian athletes and coaches and celebrating their outstanding accomplishments at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia," the budget says. Also included in the budget is a measure aimed at retirement savings for amateur athletes. The measure would allow any income amateur athletes contributes to a trust to count as earned income for the purpose of determining their annual RRSP limit. Right now, any income contributed to an amateur athlete trust doesnt count as earned income, which limits the amount they can contribute to an RRSP. TORONTO -- Sam Carrick and John-Michael Liles each had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Marlies edged the Rochester Americans 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. Tyler Biggs had the other goal for the Marlies (12-7-1), who beat the Americans for the first time in three tries this season. Toronto extends its win streak to three games and has won six of its last seven. Jamie Tardiff opened the scoring for Rochester (9-8-4) at 7:16 of the first period. Matt MacKenzie had the goal for the Americans, who have now won just twice in their last seven games. Carrick tied it 1-1, short-handed, at 18:32 of the opening frame when he capitalized off a wide Nick Crawford point shot. Carrick broke in alone on Americans starter Matt Hackett and beat him with a backhand shot for his third of the season. Carrick had an excellent chance for his second of the night at 5:52 of the second period with a similar short-handed breakaway, but was turned aside by the right pad of Hackett.dddddddddddd Liles made it 2-1 at 14:19 of the second period on a Marlies power play, finishing a backdoor feed from Carrick for his third of the season. Two minutes later, Biggs gave Toronto a two-goal cushion, putting home the rebound off a Liles point shot for his second of the season. Hackett made 26 saves in the loss. Marlies starter Drew MacIntyre turned aside 25 shots in the win. The Marlies open December on the road in Lake Erie on Thursday. Notes: Rochester signed defenceman Nick Tuzzolino to a professional tryout on Friday. In a corresponding move, the Americans assigned forward Colin Jacobs to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL. ' ' ' nfl jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic cheap nfl jerseys nfl shop wholesale jerseys