Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I'm here, Madam Speaker, in regards to our youth in our communities.
Our sporting events like we used to have back in the 90s, that fell short because of funding, I think what we really need to do is, because we have so much suicide that's been going on, we have to catch them at an earlier stage in life, for our youth and our young adults that are coming up. What I really want to see is working with the Minister of MACA, Madam Speaker, is to get that rejuvenated in all 33 communities again. So Inuvik would do basketball or hockey or soccer, and Aklavik will do soccer, Tuk will do floor hockey, and vice versa. Ulukhaktok will do pingpong. You know, something that's easy to travel with. But we had these up to about five or six years ago, then it all fell short. Money and that pot of funding dried up. We really need to be looking at this right now, Madam Speaker, in regards to working with our youth and giving them alternatives other than doing drugs or drinking and giving them that outlet of physical activity, ice hockey, making sure that, you know, we're bringing being able to bring in youth for our tournaments and stuff like that. Just bringing a broader look, a little bit money spent, and this is our future. Everybody likes to say oh, the youth are our future but they never back it up, Madam Speaker. They don't. We have to start making a stand for the youth that can't be in here that are asking for this. We need to really get all 33 communities, I guess, active again, getting off our phones. You know, that's the biggest thing. Everybody plays sitting around here and looking at their phone half the time. But, Madam Speaker, I am just really urging our government, and I'm urging the Minister of MACA, to find ways that we could work with all our 33 communities and our district, our regional districts in regards to, say, Inuvik district and Yellowknife and everybody, to bring the communities in to work with our youth and to get something going but positive. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
