Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month along with a number of other Members in the House, including the Honourable Roger Allen, Minister responsible for Youth, I had an opportunity to attend a part of the 2001 Coaching and Volunteer Symposium held in Yellowknife. The jam-packed program for the three days was designed to help coaches and volunteers in areas such as nutrition, injury prevention, and motivating athletes and designing training models.

It was also a celebration of the crucial role sports play in enhancing the wellness of our people and the recognition that the integral force behind the viability of any sporting community is the hours of services provided by coaches and volunteers.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank numerous organizers of this event, in particular Rob Meckling and Abe Theil of Sport North for a job well done. It was especially meaningful for me to talk to two delegates from Fort Resolution at this symposium. One of them was a soccer coach and the other was a soccer mom extraordinaire, Brandie Miersch and Marcella Fabien.

I learned that coach Miersch volunteers two hours every day in school coaching. She enjoys it and she feels it is really important that children have a place and time for healthy activity to engage in and to keep them out of trouble. That is true commitment and dedication and one that we sometimes take for granted in the North.

The soccer mom, on the other hand, is in charge of raising money so that the children can travel outside of the community for soccer tournaments. She does a lot of bake sales. It was obvious to me that she felt very strongly that she was doing something very worthwhile. Being invited to a symposium like this and to take part in many of the very interesting and educational sessions was a small reward for all that they give to their community.

Mr. Speaker, I think we are all aware that there are thousands of Brandies and Marcellas in the North who do so much to help our children and youth get involved in healthy activities. I truly believe that this is at the heart of how we will achieve individual and community wellness.

This is also an area that needs greater attention from the Members of this Assembly because it is one that is suffering a great deal from lack of funding and coordination on the part of all decision-makers. Many Members in the House have already stated that this has to be a priority area, and I urge all Ministers and Members to put our thinking caps on and address this area of great importance to us all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause