Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
March 23, 2010The following statement was
given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable John Hickey,
Minister of Labrador Affairs:
Labrador Winter Games a Spirited
Celebration of Sports and Culture
I rise to inform Honourable Members of Labrador's
premier sporting event, the Labrador Winter Games, which took place
earlier in March. These games brought together athletes, team leaders,
and excited fans from all over Labrador. They showcase Labradorians'
love of the outdoor lifestyle and celebration of culture and traditions
while presenting some of the most spirited competition this province has
to offer.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is proud
to be the primary sponsor of these games, investing $500,000 towards
their successful planning and execution. The Board of Governors, the
Labrador Winter Games staff, and some 500 volunteers are to be commended
for their triumph over the uncharacteristic warm winter.
I was pleased to see my colleagues, the Minister of
Aboriginal Affairs, and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation,
attend the opening ceremonies; an electrifying event, where for the
first time in four years, teams from 25 different communities came
together to open the games. It was a special moment in time when
Labrador's own poet, artist, songwriter and performer Gerald Mitchell
took to the middle of the stadium, and, under the light of hundreds of
flashlights, sang the classic Sons of Labrador.
One of the mostly highly anticipated and entertaining
spectacles was the Labrathon, a high-paced event that detailed a
traditional outdoor lifestyle. A competitor raced around a 500-metre
track to separate locations, where they had to start a fire and boil
water, complete a target-shoot, cut through a log using non-powered hand
tools, set a trap, and create a fishing-hole using an ice chisel, all
while wearing snowshoes and towing a toboggan with gear weighing about
30 lbs. This event was won by Bradley Rumbolt from Mary's Harbour.
There were many feats of athleticism showcased over
the course of games. Some of those recognized include:
Tanya Daley and Rick Kennedy, most outstanding
female and male athletes for Lake Melville district;