Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure today to provide Members of the Legislative Assembly with an update on the Northwest Territories Team that attended the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games that were hosted by the City of Kamloops, British Columbia, from August 5th to August 14th.
The Western Canada Summer Games were created in 1975 to provide western and northern athletes an opportunity to compete at a higher performance level and learn more about this great country.
Nearly 2,300 athletes representing the four western provinces and three territories took part in the Kamloops Games. Team NWT included 140 athletes, coaches, and managers from eight sports and representing 10 communities.
Mr. Speaker, all of the athletes performed extremely well and did us proud. I am pleased to congratulate Alea Stockton and Julianna Neudorf for their silver and bronze medals respectively in the women’s five-kilometre walk, and to the team of Joseph Lirette, Madison Hurst, Mason Hachey, and Christopher Lirette for their bronze medal in the 100-metre relay. I invite my colleagues to join me in congratulating all of our athletes for their hard work and dedication.
A special mention goes to the Team NWT volunteers and officials who managed the team, and to the territorial sport organizations for working so hard to support their athletes. They demonstrated a willingness to go that extra distance to provide the athletes with the best experience possible. It is through the combined effort of volunteer organizers, the coaches and managers, the officials and the staff that make the athletes success possible.
A special note of recognition is required for Mr. Bill Othmer from Sport North, who served as our chef de mission for Team NWT. Congratulations to Mr. Othmer and all his mission staff on a job well done.
I would also like to extend my thanks to the host society from the City of Kamloops, British Columbia. This organization did a wonderful job of hosting the games and made the team welcome in their community. We trust that the next host, the Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta, will continue the tradition of hosting an excellent sporting event.
Finally, I would like to make special mention to all the parents who support their children in their athletic pursuits. Their dedication of time and financial support to the development of our youth is so important, and is evident through the number of youth who were able to attend these games in person.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to build our future by promoting healthy and active living among children and youth. Improving the physical and mental well-being of our youth will create healthy, educated Northerners as envisioned in the 16th Assembly’s vision of Northerners Working Together.
Mr. Speaker, we have much to be proud of in our sport and recreation system, and on behalf of all Members of the Legislative Assembly, I congratulate all those who took part in the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games. Thank you.
