Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Arctic Winter Games were held in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo from January 29th to February 4th. We witnessed approximately 2,100 participants, coaches, admission staff, and officials from eight contingencies attend these games.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud to have three athletes, two coaches, and one youth ambassador from the Nahendeh riding represent the Team NWT at these games. We had three athletes from Fort Simpson, Mariah Tanche Hannah, who skated in the juvenile category. She skated personal best times in all four distances and was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the 2023 Canada Winter Games are going to be held in Charlottetown, PEI, on March February 18th to March 5th. So we do have a team coming from the Northwest Territories. Some of the athletes that did attend the Arctic Winter Games are part of the Canada Games team. There is a selection process, but there is a number of new athletes as well that are able to participate at that level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think MLA Semmler would probably say she was the most important person, and she was there, and she did a great job representing the Northwest Territories there. Municipal and Community Affairs regional recreation coordinators are actively involved in sharing information to all the communities. That's with the rec leaders; that's what the SAOs or the band managers. So we get that information out there. I can also confirm information on the selection process and deadlines were shared numerous times. As well we work with the schools to get that information...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending and refereeing the Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament. It was the first time since the pandemic cancelling the last couple of years. As I stated previously in this House, this tournament is a bit unique in that we don't keep score, teams are mixed up, and we do not have a winner or loser. The focus is on the youth having fun and playing the sport; something the namesake was all about. Besides playing the sport, the youth are given the opportunity to attend a skills competition event on Saturday.

This year we had...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to have to clarify something here. Our regional recreation coordinators do go away to the communities. They do work with the schools. They do work with the recreational staff. They come in when they're invited, when they're new so they get into that there. In regards to hosting territorial events, yes, there was some confusion out there. But, again, it got fixed. Territorial organizations work with the communities to see if they want to host it, if they're able to do it, if they've got the venues, they got the places, accommodations for the food...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was very exciting to be at the Arctic Winter Games this year. It was the first time in five years that we've had it because of COVID and the situations like that. So the department of Municipal and Community Affairs works with Sport North, the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Mackenzie Recreation Association, Beaufort Delta Recreation Association, and the Territorial Sports Organizations to develop and foster coaches and athletes in the communities. The department also supports Sport North by having the MACA regional recreation coordinators work with the...

No. I'm just joking. Yes, so the process is very much communitydriven. The community needs to reach out to the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, the sport and recreation and youth coordinators. They do work out to them. And start working on it, working together. The staff is available. I can tell you from my experience in 1994 when I became the recreation development officer, I started working on the Mackenzie Rec Association, and it is a very valid organization, and so is the BDSRA. It was a very valid organization. It addressed some of the things that the Member talked about...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Municipal and Community Affairs does provide funding for 36 youth centres across the Northwest Territories under the Youth Initiative Program. We contribute about $14,000 to each facility to support their operations. MACA is committed to establishing an interdepartmental working group on youth to provide the GNWT a forum that will be able to coordinate youth programs and services to support local community priorities. And that's part of the youth strategy that we're working on.

However, the question that the Member asked, if there's a community that wishes to establish...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this program continues to support children, primarily from the age of 0 to 5, for program opportunities to support physical literacy, an important part of development in long you know, lifelong active lifestyles. As I said previous in the other question, I can commit to work with the department and committee during the main review to consider future funding for this program. It is very important. It does some really good benefits. It starts at a young age and the work that's done in the community. So, yes, I will work with committee to review this...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, again, it just reverts to the first question. When the Member reached out to me, we had a conversation and we looked at their oneyear proposal. And one of the things we talked about was we need to expand it. We can expand it for up to three years. So I guess I can commit to a new multithreeyear agreement with the Kole Crook Fiddle Association on top of the one year we already got right now. The association submitted a proposal. We're going back and forth to fix up the second and third year again. So again, I would like to confirm that we are working on...