麻豆社区

Eighty-eight days out from the opening ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Games, indigenous athletes and their supporters gathered at the Kwanlin D眉n鈥圕ultural Centre for an event to recognize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 Call to Action 88.

Call to Action 88, of the 94 included in the document, calls on all levels of government to support the long-term athletic development of indigenous athletes.

It reads: 鈥淲e call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.鈥�

This year the games will be hosted in Toronto from July 16-23.

Events were held across the country to support Call to Action 88.

Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities and Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs announced a 2017 federal budget commitment to provide $18.9 million over five years and $5.5 million every four years thereafter to support indigenous youth through sport.

Meanwhile, in Whitehorse, athletes, coaches and dignitaries were given 鈥淭eam Yukon, We are #Team88鈥� t-shirts as they entered the KDCC.

They learned how to say 鈥渞eally good鈥� in Yukon First Nation dialects and were treated to a performance by the The Dakhk谩 Khw谩an Junior Dancers.

More than 120 athletes are expected to participate in the games from the Yukon, which will be one of the largest teams the territory has sent, said Chef de Mission for Team Yukon, Tara Wardle.

Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations, Peter Johnston, called the upcoming event, 鈥渂igger than the Olympics,鈥� as it鈥檚 expected to gather more than 5,000 athletes of First Nation descent for the competition.

A pep rally for Team Yukon will take place on July 14.