Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the highlights in our communities is celebrating success. Today I want to acknowledge Annah Hanthorn from Fort McPherson. Nineteen-year-old Annah, as we speak, is in Almaty, Kazakhstan, competing in the 2015 Junior World Cross Country Ski Championships.
Five of the fastest and competitive women from across our country have been selected to represent Canada at this huge event, and one of our very own from the Northwest Territories, Annah Hanthorn, is ranked top five in Canada.
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Fort McPherson over the years has had a population of 900 to 1,000 people. We have no ski club and no ski shack. Yet, with hard work and determination, Annah has disciplined herself to train and become the best in the Northwest Territories, in Canada, and now the world.
In order to adjust to the 13-hour time change and acclimatize her body to the temperature, she left Canada on January 25th to begin her training and preparing for the races, which began on February 2, 2015. The races are every two days and end on the 8th of February. This Canadian team will compete against the best athletes in the world. Good luck, Annah. The whole NWT is behind you, especially everyone in Fort McPherson.
Mr. Speaker and Members, please join me in giving Annah a huge applause and sending her good luck and best wishes for good, clean races all week. Thank you.
