Sport dominates our culture. It draws the biggest crowds and inspires the deepest devotion. Sport gets the most air time, endless inches of column space, and the avid attention of the web. More time and more money go into playing and watching sports than any other leisure pursuit.

But sport is not often the subject of critical public policy discussions. Until now. The 83rd Annual Couchiching Summer Conference will dig deep into the psyche of sport, examining the idea of competition itself and the way it brings out both the best and the worst in us.

We will hear from journalists on the media mythologies around sports icons and why violence sells. We will consider how Canada has bound its national identity to a sport that is too expensive for many young Canadians to play. Experts will weigh in on the mental and physical benefits of an active lifestyle, and politicians may be asked to defend a spending policy that restricts funds for gym classes in elementary schools.