Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is NWT Day at the Vancouver Olympics and the beginning of Northern Weekend. It will also mark the culmination of our participation and investment as a government in these Winter Games.
Our goal was to build an awareness of our NWT identity, to encourage healthy choices among our people and to promote and advance the development of a diversified economy. We wanted Canada and the world to know that the Northwest Territories is a dynamic Territory with immense economic potential, diverse cultures, world-class art and fine crafts, unique tourism opportunities and a great place to live.
Tomorrow evening a group of representative NWT performers will showcase our Territory at the nightly Olympic Victory Celebration. They will represent and celebrate who we are to a sold out audience at B.C. Place, as they have all week to representatives of the more than 10,000 journalists in Vancouver and the three billion television viewers around the world.
Mr. Speaker, the Olympic Games have given us an unparalleled chance to demonstrate to the world the reasons why the NWT is a great place to live, invest in and work, and our government has capitalized on this opportunity.
Members are aware of our successful partnerships in the creation of Canada’s Northern House, our official pavilion at the games. Its displays, activities and daily performances by NWT artists have become a smash hit.
In fact, I’m very pleased to note, Mr. Speaker, that Northern House has had more than 70,000 visitors to date, including more than 50,000 in the last week alone.
Our government has also worked hard to include a human component to our efforts. We have sent dozens of NWT residents to the games: as traditional games athletes, as performing artists, as visual artists, and as youth ambassadors. They are not only showing the North to the world, they are also broadening their own horizons and performing in front of larger audiences than they have ever seen before.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the NWT’s efforts at these games has been a gold media winning performance. Through the extraordinary hard work and commitment of individuals and participants either employed or sponsored by our departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Municipal and Community Affairs, Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Executive, we have taken full advantage of this rare opportunity and have realized a phenomenal return on our investment.
We have successfully created a presence that is informing and highlighting to visitors from all over the world the riches and opportunities of our Territory. NWT artists and traditional athletes have been drawing crowds throughout the games, and, Mr. Speaker, our Territory is receiving rave reviews from the public and the media alike. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
