Educating the Body: A History of Physical Education in Canada

Educating the Body presents a history of physical education in Canada, shedding light on its major advocates, innovators, and institutions. The book traces the major developments in physical education from the early nineteenth century to the present day - both within and beyond schools - and concludes with a vision for the future. It examines the realities of Canada’s classed, gendered, and racialized society and reveals the rich history of Indigenous teachings and practices that were marginalized and erased by the residential school system. Today, with the worrying decline in physical activity levels across the population, Educating the Body is indispensable to understanding our policy options moving ahead.

M. Ann Hall is a professor emerita in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta.
Bruce Kidd is a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education and university ombudsperson at the University of Toronto.
Patricia Vertinsky is a professor and distinguished university scholar in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia.