I want to ask the Premier in terms of his discussion recently with the Prime Minister, himself being an historian buff in terms of hockey, what can the Premier tell me and the good people of the Sahtu, Northwest Territories? Is the Premier working with the Prime Minister to recognize Deline as the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Prime Minister is a man who has a tremendous interest in the history of hockey. Whenever I have an opportunity, I do raise this issue with him. I have to say, quite honestly though, that the Prime Minister has never said to me let's work together on making this known across Canada. So what he is doing may appear in a book he is writing. I don't know. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping the Prime Minister would tell the Premier let's have a friendly hockey game up in Bear Lake and just settle the score once and for all. Mr. Speaker, I would ask this government and the Premier, what is his government doing in terms of showing that we support that motion that was passed in 2006? I believe it was February 23rd. We

passed the motion recognizing Deline as the birthplace of ice hockey and getting CBC to get their facts straight in terms of broadcasting the program that was broadcast across Canada. What is the Premier doing to support this motion and to support the people in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have said, every opportunity I get to remind people at the appropriate time that the birthplace of hockey is in Deline in the Northwest Territories, I take advantage of that opportunity. Mr. Speaker, we had a very good meeting and a celebration in Deline last fall. I enjoyed it. The community enjoyed it. In fact, even though I lost at the hand games, it was a good event.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure I want to challenge the Prime Minister to a hockey game. He probably is bigger than me and can skate better. That may not be a good bet. Mr. Speaker, when we were in Deline last year, we did make an offer to the community to give us a proposal of how we could advance this and we put it in their hands to bring something forward. We certainly look forward to receiving something, whether it is bringing professional hockey players to Deline or doing a training camp or whatever it may be. We said to the community give us a proposal of what we might do next. We are certainly waiting for the proposal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we have some good hockey players in this House. I can certainly coach the Premier in terms of some moves that he can do on the Prime Minister. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Premier what is his government doing in terms of promoting the birthplace of ice hockey in the Northwest Territories? We have lots of ambassadors that go outside of the Northwest Territories that probably can say we are from the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada in the Northwest Territories or in Deline. What is his department doing with the other Ministers to promote this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We want to put a lot of emphasis on sport. I think, through MACA, there has been a lot of good work done on healthy lifestyles and sports and so on. As we approach and now participated, and I think very successfully, in the Canada Winter Games, that we get ready for the 2010 games. There is an opportunity for us as a government to not only promote hockey, but to promote promotion of healthy living, sports generally and so on. Mr. Speaker, our strategy in this area includes hockey, but is going to be much broader than just hockey because there are a lot of areas that our young people can excel in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked the Premier about what he is doing to promote Deline as the birthplace of ice hockey. I certainly agree with the Premier in terms of promoting healthy lifestyle outside the Northwest Territories. I would ask the Premier what is his government doing also to let Heritage Canada know, through CBC, that the broadcast was incorrect and they should get their facts straight and broadcast a segment that Deline is the birthplace of ice hockey? What is he doing to let CBC know and get their facts straight? This government recognizes it. The people in the Northwest Territories recognize it. I think it is about time CBC recognizes it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we were in Deline, what we had said to the community, we want you to own this project. This will be your project, something that the community drives from the bottom up. Mr. Speaker, at that time, we said to the community give us a proposal. I am waiting for the proposal. In the interim, we are doing a lot of work more broadly on sports. I will take up, though, every opportunity to remind people of the history of Deline and the history of hockey. Mr. Speaker, in terms of CBC, maybe the Member missed a good opportunity last night when hearings were being held by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on the role of CBC. It is one we could have said to CBC, look, get your information right on a lot of things, including the birthplace of hockey. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.