麻豆社区

Iceland is now in the mix as a possible co-host for the 2016 Arctic Winter Games, following discussion at a shareholders meeting in Vancouver yesterday.

Two Yukon politicians met with their counterparts from the six permanent member jurisdictions 鈥� Northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alaska, and Greenland 鈥� for a special meeting convened by the Arctic Winter Games International Committee held Sunday morning at a Vancouver hotel.

Deliberations concerned the re-instatement of six major sports to the 2016 Games in Nuuk, Greenland.

Speedskating, figure skating, curling, gymnastics, midget hockey and dog mushing were all slashed from the program last September due to a lack of facilities and limited hosting capacity in Greenland's capital.

Iceland entered the discussion as a possible partner after Iqaluit, Nunavut was pulled off the table as a potential co-host at yesterday's meeting.

Greenland previously hosted in conjunction with the Nunavut capital in 2002.

"Iqaluit basically said they were not able to accommodate the remainder of those Games,鈥� Yukon Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor told the Star this morning.

Fiscal and human resource capacities were cited by Nunavut in the territory's decision to withdraw. Taylor said the capital has recently invested millions into a new swimming pool complex. Iqaluit will also host the 2020 Games.

"This is their decision, and I respect that,鈥� said Taylor. "It's not about finger pointing. It's about how we can sustain these Games into the future.鈥�

Taylor said while having Nunavut co-host the 2016 event was the "preferred choice,鈥� Alaska's lieutenant governor Mead Treadwell tabled a resolution to extend an invitation to Iceland 鈥� or one of the permanent jurisdictions 鈥� to host the six eliminated sports in an exhibition series under the Arctic Winter Games banner.

"He referred to Iceland because of its close proximity to Greenland, and it takes international flights, and they're able to accommodate all these sports,鈥� Taylor said.

The international committee committed to reviewing the resolution, with a decision expected at the end of the month.

"Should this not work out, we as the northern territories will make these Games happen, regardless whether it's underneath the Arctic Games banner or not,鈥� Taylor said. "This is important enough to our stakeholders, and we feel we need to make something happen. We're willing to get the ball going and we have said we're willing to accommodate those sports in some fashion.

"It could be an exhibition Games or invitational Games that would accommodate all of these sports, and it would coincide with the Games. That is the silver lining in all of this. We want to see these sports accommodated.鈥�

A potential host site has not yet been discussed as the international committee ponders the current idea of using Iceland as a host partner.

Regardless if those sports are accommodated in Iceland or one of the Canadian territories, the tournament would be outside of the official Games contract.

Greenland has entered a legal agreement regarding the 2016 Games, and noted it would be difficult to re-open that contract to include a co-host.

"In order to allow those remaining sports to come under the fold, you would ultimately need Greenland's say,鈥� Taylor explained.

"My argument is that it's not just about 2016, it's about 2018 and 2020. We're going to run into similar situations if we don't get a long-term resolution to this. It was heartening that the committee has recognized that this has really shed some light on some major issues.鈥�

The Games have evolved, Taylor said, and this situation will occur whenever a smaller community is chosen to host.

"At the end of the day, it's up to the international committee to make that call. Regardless, we're going to go ahead.鈥�

Independent MLA Darius Elias also attended the meeting, and said discussion was "very frank.鈥�

"It was almost like a family discussion around the dinner table,鈥� he said. "There were a number of really unique options that came forward. We all spoke about absolutely respecting Greenland's contract. We didn't want to hurt that in any way, shape or form. That gave them a lot of comfort.鈥�

Elias said the gathered political leaders agreed that the Games serve as a very important avenue of development for youth across the Arctic.

"The due diligence is going to be done,鈥� said Elias of the possibilities to reinstate the sports. "But the three sister territories in Canada are prepared to ensure that some type of exhibition Games happen in concert with the Arctic Winter Games 鈥� during the same time 鈥� and ensuring that all of the six sports happen somewhere in our jurisdictions.

"At the end of the day, the athletes are going to have a venue to participate. That's really important because there's no better place to teach youth about leadership and becoming solid citizens than the field of play and sport. That passion and that discussion was very present. It's exciting and it's a step forward.鈥�