Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of accompanying our Minister, R.C. McLeod, the Minister responsible for sports, to Sherbrooke, Quebec. We were attending the federal/provincial/territorial roundtable discussions on sport and I wanted to say that it was a very enlightening experience and I want to say that the NWT is well-represented at this table and I think it’s through the good work of our Minister. Sometimes we forget to say those good things and I want to make sure it goes out publicly.

Before I talk about our other mission that we were there for, which is the Canada Summer Games, I wanted to say that we need to talk about the sponsors of our Team NWT that made it possible for our athletes to actually attend this event. So with my commendable expression, I want to say thank you to NorthwesTel, First Air and Coast Fraser Tower for their stewardship and their ability to help our young athletes. So that’s first and foremost.

It was a pleasure that Team NWT had 84 athletes, 23 youth ambassadors, and I can’t tell you enough how well our youth ambassadors are received not only from here, from the Northwest Territories, but nationally. They get heartfelt acclaim. We had 12 mission staff there led by Chef de Mission Bill Otmyer, who likes to be referred to as Billy “O.” Billy

did a great job. We also had 16 coaches and managers there. So, all in all, we had a great team.

It’s important that we also thank some of our own government stakeholders who were there. These are people who, behind the scenes, spend countless hours and I want to make sure Mr. Ian Legaree gets full credit here for this as well – that’s well deserved – and Damon Crossman. He was not only there on behalf of the government, he was actually there as a coach for basketball as well. So hats off to those two people as well.

Of course, I can’t mention everyone. There are too many people to mention here today, but you know who you are and pat yourself on the back.

Although Team NWT did not medal at our Canada Summer Games, which is always our target, I’m very comforted knowing that everyone, I think, got a really good, lasting memory and will definitely remember their time there.

I just want to conclude with it’s always fun to find a special quote that summarized, I think, the true essence of our Team NWT. This is from Bill Bowerman, who is a 1972 U.S. track and field co-founder of Nike.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude.

---Unanimous consent granted