Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about Sharon and Shirley Firth, both long-time Olympic athletes, and what they have strived to do since their days as Olympic athletes.
Both are role models. Both are visionary. Both strive to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles and community wellness, particularly among youth. They have both visited every school in the Northwest Territories promoting excellence in both body and mind, with persistence and dedication to the empowerment of youth. I know they will carry this passion on for generations to come. Both strive to build self-confidence, teach teamwork, build character, teach focus, and encourage the youth to set goals, dream big, and to be the best they can be.
Through role model tours they have also brought cross-country skiing to every school in the Northwest Territories and taught the youth cross-country skiing. Both are great ambassadors for the Northwest Territories. Both have always promoted the Northwest Territories and continue to put the Northwest Territories on the map, so to speak.
Some of their major accomplishments include the role model tour, as I mentioned, to all 33 communities; they were inducted into the Banff Sports Hall of Fame in 2008; I think Sharon was a presenter at the APTN Aboriginal Country Music Awards in 2008; they participated with Governor General Michaelle Jean at the Inuvik Youth Forum in 2008; and on the national stage both are recipients of Aboriginal Achievement Awards -- I believe Sharon received it in 2005 and Shirley in 2006.