Debates of March 29, 2004 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sport and recreation and healthy lifestyles are more and more critical to our society, to the health of our population, to our enjoyment of this great land. We have many wonderful and successful partnerships in this between governments at all levels, between businesses here in the Northwest Territories, and, of course, a huge body of very dedicated and committed volunteers. Over time, though, Mr. Speaker, we have seen a number of different bodies come into existence and be recognized by government for some part or other in the sport and recreation milieu. There are, I believe, seven different organizations that have now been recognized by this government. They’re sharing a pie that hasn’t really grown very much, if at all, in the last few years and now, Mr. Speaker, we’re considering or -- if I have my information correct, we’re beyond the consideration point -- we are going to be seeing the creation of yet another one, the NWT council of sport and recreation partners, in the very near future.

I know, Mr. Speaker, that especially among the volunteers in the territorial sporting organizations -- and they number in the hundreds and serve thousands of people in the NWT -- even after a couple of years of working through some issues they’re still not clear, Mr. Speaker, on what the objectives, what the vision, what the purpose of this new organization. I want to speak for those people here today, Mr. Speaker, to point this area out and to look at whether or not we’re really, in creating this new organization, creating yet another layer of bureaucracy and administration for approval or consultation in what many see as an already top-heavy and over-governed system of sport in the Northwest Territories. I am going to be asking the Minister responsible for this some questions later on, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.