Thank you, Mr. Speaker. About two months ago I had the opportunity to attend a sport forum sponsored by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. It was a gathering of representatives of recreation and sport organization partners from across the NWT with the MACA Minister and staff. It was billed as a meeting to seek input from the sport and recreation sector, input being sought to advise both the 18th Assembly and MACA on priorities and plans for the future of sport and recreation in the NWT.
There were representatives from each of the hardworking territorial organizations that manage sport and recreation in the NWT: the Sport and Recreation Council, Sport North, Aboriginal Sport Circle of the Western Arctic, NWT Recreation and Parks Association, Mackenzie Recreation Association and the Beaufort-Delta Sahtu Recreation Association. All were volunteers happily giving up a Saturday because they believe passionately in their volunteer work, because they want better sport and recreation programs in our territory.
It was an all-day meeting; the participants broke into two groups. We had some great discussions, some navel gazing and some crystal ball gazing on a number of questions about improving the future of recreation and sport. The conversations were thought-provoking, wide-ranging, thoughtful and comprehensive. The atmosphere in the room was collegial, respectful and very serious about how to improve and advance sport and recreation in the NWT.
It was no surprise to me that the results of the discussions from the two different groups were very similar. Some key messages I heard were:
a recognition that if all organizations work together it will produce better results.
a recognition that efforts and programs are sometimes duplicated and those inefficiencies can and should be eliminated.
a stated desire for the partners to work together to increase the health of NWT residents.
a recognition that each partner has expertise that they bring to the table, expertise that should be better used to the advantage of all partners.
I was privileged to attend, along with MLA Moses, and my thanks to the Minister of MACA for the invitation to take part in the forum. It was an enervating day, one that left me feeling very confident that sport and recreation in the NWT is in good hands. We have committed minds and hearts, leaders who only want to better sport and rec for our residents, and I look forward to the follow-up meeting in a few months’ time.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
