Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that, like the Minister had said, he has been exposed to other types of funding. Federally, it may even be CanNor, because I know that in the smaller communities you can build small facilities for lower costs just for the same type of track conditions that are in Hay River. But in Fort Simpson we’re talking about a full standard track, and that’s probably a couple hundred thousand dollars. That’s the capacity that they’re asking.

Moving forward, will the Minister help us do a capacity estimate, as it were, to create a new track?

Much has been said about some extra money for infrastructure. I was wondering if the ministry can consider that moving forward, because I know that, like I said, I

referenced finding some funds to help our schools with playground equipment.

I wonder if we can work towards finding a small pot of additional funds to assist communities in creating track-type facilities as well.

I’m glad there’s some flexibility as the Minister has said. There are just some new changes to the rules.

What other ways does the ministry support track and field in NWT communities? Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to ask the Minister responsible for Sport and Recreation and Youth some questions about track and field that I raised in my Member’s statement earlier today. I noted that, of course, Hay River is hosting the prestigious NWT Track and Field event next week and it’s actually their 25th anniversary, and our children from the

small communities look forward to those track meets. However, my concern, as pointed out by the Grade 6 students, is that back in the smaller communities they don’t have proper practice facilities. In fact, in Fort Simpson they would like to see a new track and field.

I was wondering if the ministry has done any assessment of the smaller communities of how to produce… It would be similar to playground equipment, provide track facilities so that they can practice on the same kind of turf so that they can get the same type of experience as they do when they get to Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about the Grade 6 class in Bompas Elementary, so I would like to recognize them here today. It gives me great pleasure that they have taken the time to drive over to Yellowknife. I just want to say, as well, to the students there that their names will be in Hansard, an historical document. Your names will be in Hansard for the next hundred or more years. I would like to welcome teachers Leanne Josie and Bernie Leader, chaperone Martina Isaiah, and the students: Fayth Sibbeston, Etanda Hardisty-Beaverho, Tamara Lennie, Grace Day, Charlene Brown, Stevie May Gargon-Lacasse, Abigail Pasqua-Matte, Tamara Deneyoua, Seneah Allen, Kylan Antoine, Jeremy Larter, Marie Anderson and Kyra Sanguez. I’m glad you made it here today. Welcome.

We all know the importance of physical activity and how it affects a positive educational outcome. The more exercise our students get, the better they are at learning. I look forward to the day that Fort Simpson students can train on a track of their own.

During question period, I will be asking questions with regard to working toward getting a track and field facility for the community of Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to recognize the exceptional youth of my riding and thank them for making their voices heard. Firstly, in the gallery today I have 13 students from the Fort Simpson Bompas Elementary School whom I will be recognizing later today. I hope you’re enjoying the speeches called Members’ statements today. Because we just started, they are taking much longer, and I thank you for your patience up there.

In the first week of May, like Mr. Speaker said, young people from across the territory gathered here at the Legislative Assembly for the Youth Parliament. That included Ms. Sylvia Pascal-Matt from the Thomas Simpson School, who represented Nahendeh and did a fantastic job. I also want to say her younger sister Abigail is also here with the Grade 6 class here today. Welcome.

While I was in Fort Simpson this past month, I had the opportunity to speak with these Grade 6 students at Bompas Elementary. I spoke with them about the role of the MLA, how government operates and how people can effect change. Bompas students as well as students from the Thomas Simpson Secondary are gearing up and training hard for the annual NWT Track and Field Championships in Hay River next week. The Grade 6 students mentioned how useful it would be to have the community of Fort Simpson fitted with a new track and field. Not only could they train for competitions like the annual Hay River meet, they

could even host it one day, serving as ambassadors for Fort Simpson.

The community of Fort Simpson has not had track facilities since the early 1990s. Sadly, our children of Fort Simpson are training in the playgrounds and training on a gravel road next to the school. An outdoor track would enable students to practice and train properly, not just one sport but many, helping them find new ways to have fun and stay active. Participants at any skill level would benefit, from first-time beginners to those training for territorial and national high performance competitions. It would also be a valuable addition to the community at large, giving everybody in Fort Simpson a new place to exercise and, as I said, the capacity to host meets would also enable students like the ones I spoke about to build friendships across the NWT, to work with their friends, meet new people and improve their skills.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say, for the record, that motions are not taken lightly by Members of this House or the Priorities and Planning committee where the motion was talked about.

In closing, I would like to thank the honourable Member for Hay River North for seconding this motion and getting it into the House to talk about.

I am pleased to hear the Minister’s response with regard to taking it seriously and moving forward. Certainly, that’s where I want to go with this motion. It’s about considering it seriously. Let’s continue deliberations about the planning. I’m a realist. I’m not asking for capital dollars, but I think we should find some resources to help work on a planning study about the size and content of the building. I believe it will be a stand-alone facility, because having it in the new Stanton Territorial Hospital, there are so many technical aspects required for health and safety in a new and modern hospital.

In closing, I, like everybody else in the North and everybody else in this room, think it’s time for a wellness facility that we can call our own, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues, for allowing me to speak to the motion.

I spoke on this issue last week, and I felt it was deserving of a motion to speak about a wellness centre to be included in the Stanton Renewal Project.

I think at that time, too, Mr. Francois Paulette, the chair of the Stanton Elders’ Council, had been calling upon the Department of Health and Social Services to include a wellness centre at the Stanton Territorial Hospital for about eight years, and now the Stanton Elders’ Council is in full support of designing a facility like that.

I’m pleased to hear that the Department of Health and Social Services is supportive of the concept and has identified and set aside land at the Stanton Territorial Hospital, but, regretfully, there are no resources there right now, and that’s what this motion is calling upon the department to do, is to work with Aboriginal governments.

I would also like to say to work with other wellness groups that should be invited. In fact, while I’m speaking, I’d like to call upon the other groups to assist the Elders’ Council with their plans for a wellness centre.

It has been said times are tight and GNWT resources are limited, but we’re not talking about a full facility right now, just the resources to do a planning study, even assistance to cost out the cost of a planning study. I think that’s what they’re looking for, how much this facility is going to cost, what it’s going to look like. They really need assistance in that. That’s why I am bringing forward this motion. Let’s get assistance to cost out a planning study.

I too, about 10 years ago, was at the Alaska Native Medical Center and I saw how that facility works, how homey it is. They have Aboriginal culture, paintings, and it really looks homey and gives people a sense of a northern facility and of belonging in the North. It gets away from a facility that’s so square and institutional. I really believe we have to get away from that because we’ve been living that way too long.

Further, I believe it is an idea whose time has come. We have to support it and get the political ball rolling, as it were, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.