Colleagues, the Tom Longboat Award was established in 1951 to recognize Indigenous athletes for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada. The awards have been given out every year since its inauguration. It remains the longest standing and one of the most prestigious awards for Indigenous athletes in the country. Each province and territory is given the opportunity to name one man and one woman recipient of the regional Tom Longboat Award.
I would like to congratulate both James Williams and Shakita Jensen for receiving this year's award. It is a great honour to see both received this recognition. Today, I would like to recognize one of the award winners, Mr. James Williams. As part of the awards, they were able to bring a family member to the ceremony. He had the pleasure to share the evening with his son Jimmy where he received the award at the National Indigenous Sports Awards Gala, hosted by Aboriginal Sports Circle Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.
I first met James in Fort Simpson at a ball tournament where he was a little bitty baby in his mom's arms. He was always involved in sports. I can tell you this young man has lived in Fort Simpson, Inuvik, and now in Yellowknife. As well, he has lived in southern Canada for a bit of time playing hockey. He is still active in sports, most notably hockey and Arctic sports at a very high level. It is amazing that even at the young age of 32, he still competes in Arctic sports internationally against younger athletes and is still being successful.
As you are aware, Arctic sports is about competing against yourself and helping others regardless of the territory, providence, state, or country you represent. In the true meaning of sport, I have witnessed this young man help other competitors achieve their best. As well, he is very big on giving back to the sports world. I noticed that he won the award by a Facebook post. He did a great job and I would like to share it here with you here today. Unfortunately, with limited time, I would like it deemed as read and printed in the Hansard.
James Williams Post:
What an honour to be a part of such an amazing event. Today I had the pleasure to share a night with my son Jimmy at the national Indigenous Sports Awards Gala, hosted by Aboriginal Sports Circle Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.
The Northwest Territories was represented well with myself and Shakita Jensen being awarded with Regional Tom Longboat Awards for our respected sports, and Jacob Klengenberg awarded with the national Indigenous Coaching Award.
Meeting new people and seeing familiar faces again all evening was a great time spent. I can't thank Indigenous Sports Circle NWT enough for everything they do for not only myself as an athlete, but for the youth across the Territory. Continuing to provide opportunities to promote, pass along, and demonstrate our cultural games. Also giving them other opportunities to excel in other sports on many platforms across the nation.
Quyananni to my family - Mom Pamela Williams for always believing in me in all my sports I have competed in, from Hockey, MMA, Arctic Sports; even still at the age of 32 and competing in our games against 'kids' (18-20's), no matter what you were/are always in my corner. Aurora & Byron Kotokak for your continued support and helping me to be the person I am today. My dad up in Paradise, I felt him here with me accepting my award, I still wanna just call him and hear him say "congratulations, I'm proud of you, and I already knew that", (he always had a connection somewhere that he'd find stuff out before I did). My uncle Donald Kuptana Jr. For first introducing me to the Northern Games and becoming my coach for the games ever since. Instilling in me that "nothing but Good Things come from playing our games" you and Kyle used to bring me along to demonstrate in the early 2000's, showing the importance of being a good demonstrator and showing proper techniques. My mother-in-law and father-in-law Patrice and Steve O'Hara for all of their love, help, and support throughout the years. Everything you do that helps us with our kiddos, or with Linna and myself, especially if it's when I'm away, it goes along ways.
Finally, my wife and children Linna Williams, Jimmy, Jane, and Honey for allowing me to still continue to do what I do that makes me feel still young and electric. Sacrificing time to train for events and time away for competitions. You changed my life and make myself strive to be a better person every day.
I feel lucky, grateful, and happy to be where I am today, and I have you all to thank. To have every single one of you on my team, is truly a gift.
Again, congratulations James and Shakita for a job well done in representing the Northwest Territories.
Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Member’s Statement 603-20(1):
Mr. Speaker, my communities of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh are facing challenges on the scale they never experienced before. These challenges include serious increase in criminal activity, drug use, and mental illness, which are affecting especially our youth. As important as it is to provide our youth easier access to addiction support and keep the streets safer through increased RCMP resources, I am afraid that these solutions are only addressing the symptoms and not the cause of the problem. What my communities need to prevent our youth from falling into the trap of addictions in the first place is a proper recreation and skill programming that can enrich their lives and open doors of opportunities for them to pursue their dreams or practice their culture.
Recently, my community have lost recreation coordinator positions which were responsible for providing youth and sports with recreation programming. Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution, in particular, are left with great recreation facilities but have no funding from MACA to provide maintenance, staffing, and programming. Instead, the First Nations are responsible, and they can't always keep these facilities staff and operating with all these services for the youth.
The youth are looking for safe, healthy, and active programming. My communities are also coming to me with creative proposals to establish local youth advocates who are skilled navigating the services different departments have to offer and resourceful in the opportunities youth can access, not just sports related but opportunities for large cultural revitalization, skill development, and career counselling. We need to reverse the trend of closing services in small communities and empower community leaders because they know what the youth in their communities need.
I look forward to asking the Minister responsible for these services about the ideas later today so I can return to my communities after session and start working with them to bring forward exciting new proposals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
