Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can recall when the community of Aklavik dominated the sport of soccer and represented the NWT at the Arctic Winter Games. More than once, it brought home the gold ulu. There was -- this was a community stronghold on sports and recreation where the younger generation wanted to be the next in line to go to the Arctic Winter Games, but with the changes in tryouts, there's no chance for them to live their dream of going to the Arctic Winter Games. My question to Minister of MACA is can the Minister give me some insight on why the tryouts for the Arctic Winter Games is being held in Yellowknife and not in the other regions throughout the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mackenzie Delta. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, some difficult decisions had to be made in order to cut costs. You know, with the times, the way it is with travel, you know, the cost of travel is extremely high. In order to move people around and, you know, during tryouts, there's anywhere up to 700 athletes and participants that we're moving around to do the tryouts. And sometimes it's just not easy, and it's very expensive. And we also have to adapt to getting these athletes to the Arctic Winter Games afterwards. So, you know, some difficult decisions had to be made and try to save some money in order to do these tryouts. And these -- unfortunately, these tryouts were -- the suggestion was to hold these tryouts this year in one regional -- or one spot, one regional spot, and that was Yellowknife, in order to try to cut down some of those costs. You know, and I've actually asked the department to work with the multi-sport games group to look for other solutions for the next time around and come up with some ideas. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's very disheartening to hear that financial restraint has taken over the well-being of a community or a region. It should be the other way around.
Will the department look at reinstating community and regional tryouts within each of the communities and regions throughout the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, fortunately, I agree -- I mean, I agree with the Member. But, unfortunately, you know, the way the world works and the way these budgets are working lately, it's -- we're all fighting for a piece of the pie. And, you know, we were able to secure some funding for sports this year which was -- you know, in the next three years, which was good. Help some stabilization of the multi-sport games. You know, and that's a positive step forward. However, again, we're -- you know, we're fighting -- I am fighting with health. I am fighting with infrastructure. I am fighting with everybody to try to get some money and move athletes around, and this is the growing trend right now. So on top of that, the cost of everything is going up, the cost of airfare, the cost of travel, the cost of accommodations. Just seems to never end, Mr. Speaker. So, you know, I am committed to continue to work to try to drive down the cost and make sure that our athletes in the smaller communities are able to experience the Arctic Winter Games. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The well-being of our residents in the smaller communities is important, and sports and recreation is very important in our smaller communities too. We don't have the big infrastructures that bigger centres have. So, you know, financial resources, will the Minister responsible look at putting financial resources into sports and recreation within the smaller communities so we can develop athletes, and the well-being of our residents is paramount to this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I do not disagree with the Member. And, again, the reality is is we're all fighting from the same pot for some of these funds, and that's the unfortunate reality. I would love to direct funds for every community to have dedicated, you know, rec coordinators, rec centres, whatever. But at the same time, it's -- you know, I am trying to -- you know, we're fighting against other departments for the funds, and that's the reality here. But it also takes a community. And I have to be honest here. It's not just about money. You know, I look at when I was younger, you could guarantee that there was a softball game playing and just kids playing around and enjoying time in the ball field and that type of stuff. And you don't see that these days. And there's many factors behind it, not just funds. It also takes a community. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
