Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to the Long John Jamboree website, in exactly seven days, 21 hours, 24 minutes and 46 seconds, Yellowknife will enjoy and host our 2nd Annual Long John Jamboree on the ice of the Great Slave Lake in Yellowknife Bay.
My praise and admiration goes out to the many organizers and volunteers that are working feverishly behind the scenes in preparation for one of the “Gotta Go!” winter festivals in Canada.
The organizers for this year are promising even more great events and activities both on and off the ice. We’ve been promised the return of the kids’ tent, music, Terriers and Tiaras, Flaunt your Skivvies, ice hockey, the Snowking Festival, fireworks, artisans, and the MLAs’ favorite, the ultimate trivia contest.
This trivia contest is where the Yellowknife MLAs teach the local media teams a thing or two about overall knowledge and the supremacy of smartness.
We know that CBC narrowly won last year because of Mr. Paul Andrew anchoring the team. However, this year, Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife MLA team has been training for months and we’ve been put on a restrictive diet of contraband Bathurst caribou meat and Sahtu special tea.
It would be rude of me not to mention last year’s third and last place Northern News Service team; however, like in any competition, who really remembers the bronze medalists anyway? Sorry, Mr. Mike Bryant, but you know that’s the truth.
Mr. Speaker, it is also important to mention the return of the De Beers-inspired ice carving competition. This is only one of four “big block” harvested ice competitions in the world. It is now deemed the final event of the season for the National Ice Carving Association circuit.
Events like this do not just happen on their own. It takes leadership and commitment to see such a success transpire. Therefore, I would like to thank these Yellowknife volunteer leaders for making this all possible: Adrian Bell, Julia Mott, Cory Vanthuyne, Michelle Demeule, Janet Pacey, Jacqueline McKinnon, Claire Smith, Brad Morrissey, Andre Corbeil, Keith McNeill and Nancy McNeill.
In closing, I would encourage all Yellowknifers and visiting Northerners to make an effort to come down to Yellowknife Bay during March 14th to 17th and see what all the excitement is about.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
