Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Over the next several days, hundreds of athletes, coaches, officials, organizers and spectators will be converging on Slave Lake for this year's version of the Arctic Winter Games. To reach the games is a great achievement for all of these people who have qualified to participate in the games. There are many others, throughout the north and all of the regions who are involved and who have worked very hard to make these happen. I would like to congratulate all of these people plus all of the participants in all of the sports who participated in the trials. They have all worked hard and deserve a lengthy round of applause from all of us and from everyone else, even though they did not make the teams.
I have been an active participant, official and entertainer in some of the games and trials. I know the feeling when you get on a plane to go to an event like this. There is a great feeling that you are representing, not only the Northwest Territories, but Canada. The sound of the national anthem when you are standing on a podium receiving medals brings great pride to everyone involved. I wish our athletes well, especially the athletes from Inuvik: the junior boy's soccer team; I think we have a shooter; a hockey player; and, a basketball player. My great pride and a lot of my attention will go to the curling events because I have two boys and one girl who are going to represent the Northwest Territories in the curling teams.
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So I wish them well. I wish all of our athletes well and I know they will show their exuberance and skills when they stand up on the podiums receiving their gold ulus. Mahsi.
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