Ronald Bonnetrouge

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 23, Bill 29, Minister's Statement 26419(2), Tabled Document 68119(2), Tabled Document 69419(2), and Tabled Document 813-19(2), and would like to report progress. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Mahsi.

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi. There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

Carried

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Kam Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. What I hear there is that they share the regional recreation staff only shares information. I think in my previous statements regarding sports activities for all the communities and since the lagging time due to COVID and new recreation staff was pertinent and very important that that staff those staff go out into the communities, and it hasn't happened. We got a lot of staff involved in recreation who are not going into the communities to offer assistance within the communities. You're only sharing info. But that's just not going to...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are related to my Member's statement, the Arctic Winter Games and how the department can increase participation with small community athletes in traditional sports and all the other sports there. Can the MACA Minister advise as to what steps were taken to increase participation of small communities in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games? Mahsi.

There's a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? A resounding 'yea'. All those opposed? The motion is carried.

Carried

I will now rise and report progress. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish we could see a record of their staff going into the communities. I'm not aware of anything there. Anyways, I understand the Canada Winter Games are upcoming. I don't know the dates or a venue or which place it's being held. Can the Minister advise if, because it's a short period of time, if the same athletes that attended the Arctic Winter Games will be the same athletes going to the Canada Winter Games? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I note that the Minister had gone down on public dime, and he didn't invite the most important person, me. But, Mr. Speaker, I noted in my Member's statement there were no participants from Kakisa, Enterprise, nor Katl'odeeche, which is the Hay River Reserve. I note that there are regional recreation staff throughout the NWT. Can the Minister advise if the regional recreation staff advise and assist the small communities, particularly the communities I mentioned, in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a few participants from my constituency who were chosen for the 2023 Arctic Winter Games. The games were recently held in Fort McMurray, Alberta, January 29th through February 4th.

It's not often that we see any participants at the Arctic Winter Games from the smaller centres. We should join in cheers when they do happen. Although we did not get any participants from K’atl’odeeche First Nations, Kakisa, nor Enterprise, we did have four participants from Fort Providence.

Kristina Bonnetrouge participated as one of the badminton coaches...