Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I am very proud to recognize three deserving individuals that have recently been inducted into the Northwest Territories' Sport Hall of Fame.
The NWT Sport Hall of Fame was created to celebrate NWT athletes and sport builders who attained a high level of excellence and brought recognition and honour to the Northwest Territories.
It is through this recognition and promotion of sports that we demonstrate the great achievements of our outstanding sport contributors of the Northwest Territories. The legacy of their stories and successes will last for years to come.
The 2019 inductees are: the late Roseanne Allen, Floyd Daniels, and John Tram.
Roseanne Allen was one of the first Indigenous women to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics. She was born in Aklavik in 1954 and made history in Sapporo, Japan, when she took part in Nordic skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics.
Mr. Speaker, not only was Roseanne known for her incredible ability on her skis, but her resilience was second to none. At the age of just 13, Roseanne became the youngest Canadian to win gold in the 5-kilometre Nordic skiing category at the Canadian Junior Championships in Port Arthur, Ontario.
Amongst an abundance of gold medals, a standout performance for Roseanne came when she successfully completed the three-person women's 5-kilometre relay team to 10th place, beating out their close rivals from the United States.
Roseanne will be forever remembered in the world of cross-country skiing and will leave a lasting legacy for young athletes across the Northwest Territories with her achievements.
Floyd Daniels was renowned in the softball world for being a fierce yet quiet competitor when on the mound. With raw pace and incredible accuracy, he became one of the most well-known pitchers in the Northwest Territories.
Floyd played in various tournaments and settings, ranging from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; Victoria, British Columbia; and Lethbridge; all the way to Australia and various cities within the United States.
Mr. Speaker, Floyd passed away on August 18, 2019, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. He was playing fast-pitch competitively and helping with minor league ball in Hay River up until the age of 60.
Floyd leaves a legacy of playing sports on and off the field. He was incredibly competitive but always respectful to his opponents. He would instill these values into his team and coaching throughout his career.
Mr. Speaker, the third inductee for 2019 is John Tram. John was a highly motivated athlete with natural raw talent in the sport of gymnastics. John celebrated over 39 medals, 12 of those being at international and national events throughout his wonderful career, and he continues to pass his knowledge on to the youth of the Northwest Territories to this current day.
Well known for his sportsmanship, John often got both the crowd and his competitors behind him at the numerous events he took part in. He is highly praised by previous coaches and Olympic medalists.
John dominated in the rings event. His score of 13.1 in the Western and Canadian championships has only been beaten by four other people in the last 20 years!
John now turns his focus into taking younger athletes to these events and does what he can to grow the sport across the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, all Northerners should be extremely proud of Roseanne's, Floyd's, and John's accomplishments. On November 9th, an event was held in their honour.
On behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I would like to congratulate all three inductees on this wonderful honour. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.