This is in response to a question Mr. Gargan asked on December 11th. I undertook to provide the Member with more detail for selecting the host community for the Arctic Winter Games and particular details of the hosting of the 1994 Arctic Winter Games by Slave Lake in northern Alberta.
As I mentioned in my initial reply to the Member's question, the selection of host sites for the Arctic Winter Games is the responsibility of the Arctic Winter Games Corporation. The corporation is legally registered under the laws of Canada and the United States and has been given the authority by the Government of the NWT, Government of Yukon and the State of Alaska, to direct and guide the development of the games.
The Arctic Winter Games are hosted on cycle, with each participating jurisdiction invited to host the games once in the cycle. The long standing cycle involved the three original participating jurisdictions: Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska.
Northern Alberta became a participating member of the Arctic Winter Games in 1986 and in this fact I was in error the other day in stating Alberta first participated in 1990. With their continued participation, Alberta then became eligible to host a future Arctic Winter Games.
In 1988 the Arctic Winter Games Corporation convened a meeting of Ministers responsible for the Arctic Winter Games and Alaskan senators in Dawson City, Yukon to discuss the future of the games. The political direction given included asking northern Alberta to move to full team size and a request that they host the event in 1996. The 1996 games were offered to northern Alberta to host as it came at the end of the cycle of the three original jurisdictions; NWT 1990, Yukon 1992 and Alaska 1994.
Subsequently northern Alberta agreed to host the Arctic Winter Games in 1994 when Alaska notified the Arctic Winter Games Corporation it would not be able to host the 1994 games and requested a change in the cycle to be able to host in 1996.
The actual process to select a host community from a particular jurisdiction is quite formal. Some members may recall the friendly bidding competition between Yellowknife and Hay River for the 1990 Arctic Winter Games.
Three years in advance of a set of games the corporation, working with the government of the host jurisdiction, solicits applications from communities interested in hosting the games. The applications are examined by the board members and if necessary community visits are arranged to review facilities and discuss, with the interested communities, their bids. Approximately two and one-half years before a set of games, the corporation makes the decision as to which community has won the bid and a public announcement is made.
Early in 1991 the Alberta government, on behalf of the Arctic Winter Games Corporation, asked all municipal jurisdictions north of the 55th parallel, the agreed area from which Alberta would draw athletes, if they were interested in hosting the 1994 games. Interest was received from Peace River, Fort McMurray and Slave Lake. Detailed bid packages were submitted to the corporation in August 1991. The corporation board members visited each community in early September and made a decision to award the games to Slave Lake on September 23, 1991. A contract has been signed with the community and the Alberta government has committed one million dollars over three years to assist with the event.
Although all bids received were of high quality, the community of Slave Lake was by far the most impressive in their understanding of the intent and philosophy of the event, the organization and the financing involved and their desire to host the best games yet. Organization is well under way with preparations for the 1994 games. Thank you.