Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my Member’s statement talked about this morning, it was about process. Can the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs please explain the process used to get the Arctic Winter Games application process out to athletes across the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is that they do have local and regional trials, and if they make it through the regional trials, if they get to the territorial trials, usually there's some criteria in place. I think if there's an international trip like there is at this particular Arctic Winter Games, there's an expectation that they would have passport applications and the ability to access passports as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I may have not heard the answer I'm looking for. I was trying to find out how in the process that information was getting out to the people.
There would obviously be information shared with the public as to the trials that are going on. I think the regional trials are normally run by the folks in the region. They have their way of getting the word out there. But again, there's an expectation that, and I believe on the Sport North website, there's also opportunities for knowing which trials are coming up. Being an Arctic Winter Games here, there's an expectation that all the athletes that plan to participate know of the trials coming up. I will review that, though, and see exactly how the call goes out for athletes wishing to participate or take part in the trials.
I'd like to ask the Minister, at this point in time, what role does the Municipal and Community Affairs staff have in getting this information out as well.
I can actually ask the Member that question in his former role, so I've got to be careful what I say here.
---Laughter
Our regional staff are all very involved in the Arctic Winter Games trials and the selection of athletes. It's actually a part of what they do and it’s part of what they believe in, supporting the athletes that are getting out there, so they would play a role in helping to organize trials and working to get athletes to the next level.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
I won't say anything bad about the Minister, if this was his response. I would ask the Minister: With this process of the Arctic Winter Games, will he commit to do a review of the selection process and how the team is made up and the government's role as part of it.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to the Member that I will have a discussion with the sporting sector as to the involvement of all those, including the Government of Northwest Territories, because we want to ensure that our selection process is fair and gives all those athletes in small communities the opportunity to participate in the games. I can say that from experience that two Arctic Winter Games ago we had 27 of the 33 communities that were actually represented by athletes. I think that's indicative of all the good work that goes on out in the regions, in small communities. I think it's also a good indication of the level of support that this government has given to the folks in the small communities. As we heard this spring, we also have a partner now with Canadian Tire who is supplying a lot of equipment to the Northwest Territories that we can give to the small communities. All these partnerships help and I see 27 out of 33 communities as a good indication of the level of support from all forms of those folks that are involved in the sporting sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I went on a little too long. Sorry.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
