Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today before we start, I'd like to congratulate the Yukon Indian hockey tournament this past weekend and the K & D Outlaws from Aklavik for winning B Division down at the biggest tournament, the Stanley Cup of our hockey tournaments in the North, and I really want to congratulate Bodie and Johnny Elias. I was really proud last night, former our good friend Darius Elias, who passed away, former MLA for North Yukon. North Yukon Eagles won the A Division and Johnny's really looking like his dad and so when I watch we watched those kids grow up. So I'm really, really proud of them. So congratulations to all who participated in that tournament.
Mr. Speaker, today my Member's statement is on recreation funding. Accessing sport and recreation in my communities is not as easy as it is here in Yellowknife. My constituents travel from communities with larger centres is extremely expensive. Yellowknife will have Super Soccer shortly, Cager tournament, countless other tournaments in the South Slave, and being able to drive to Edmonton and Grande Prairie is very realistic for them. Mr. Speaker, the charter from my communities can cost up to $30,000 round trip. A round trip ticket from Inuvik to Yellowknife is costing now $1,400 on our local airline. Our current economic activity is crippling supporting our youth and ensuring the access of sport and recreation.
Mr. Speaker, I should not need to tell this House how the importance of sport is in building our youth our future leaders. Sports programming helps our youth grow mentally to become more confident, developing skills, having a physical outlet. Sports gives a chance for meeting new friends, a positive environment, and being able to travel outside of our home communities. All this goes a long way. It's not about going out and going into communities as well. We are not seeing our territorial sport organizations supported. They are facing inflation, high costs of delivering sports programs. We're not giving the strong foundation for our youth to travel to meet other athletes and themselves and try to excel themselves in sport.
I was told by the Minister $250,000 was budgeted for the Beaufort Delta, and MACA. That's not nearly enough as giving us what we ask for. The costs have been highlighted. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
