Executive Council
May 26, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador:

Premier Honours Province’s Top Athletes

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the more than 100 recipients of the 2016 Premier’s Athletic Awards.

I had the honour of presenting this year’s awards here in St. John’s on Tuesday and was joined by the Minister of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development for the event.

These awards were developed to honour our province’s top athletes for their extraordinary accomplishments and to provide them with financial support to offset the costs associated with training and competition at the elite level, the Premier’s Athletic Awards Program provides awards ranging from $500 to $1,500 per athlete. The amount each athlete receives is dependent on the level of competition in which they are engaged, and their respective accomplishments.

Tuesday’s event also included the presentation of the Team Gushue Awards, awarded for academic and athletic excellence and valued at $5,000 each, to Jillian Forsey of Kippens in the sport of athletics and to rugby player Patrick Parfrey of St. John’s. I want to thank Olympic gold medalists Jamie Korab and Mike Adam for joining me to present these awards.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to supporting sport, recreation and healthy living at all levels and I ask all members to join me in congratulating all recipients at this year’s Premier’s Athletic Awards.

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2016 05 26                              1:50 p.m.