Prince Albert to host indigenous games

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A first for Prince Albert, a first for Canada, a first for North America. This city, located in north-central Saskatchewan, is gearing up for the first-ever North American Indigenous Games, July 18-25.

The office is quiet now. Telephones are busy but voices are calm and muted. Brochures are neatly lined up on a low table. Aboriginal artifacts are arranged attractively on walls behind glass cases. The atmosphere is purposeful and controlled.

Rich Brant, Games manager, says an estimated 6,000 athletes are expected to participate in 15 sports.

"We expect athletes from every province and territory in Canada and from 10 to 15 states. We already have a core group of 50 to 80 volunteers and as we get closer to the Games, we will be asking for 2,000-2,500 in total. At present we have signed up about 600 from different areas of the province.

"We haven't tapped into Prince Albert yet. The city hosted the 1992 Saskatchewan Summer Games last August and we want to let those volunteers rest a bit," Brant grins.

A delegation has recently returned from Ottawa where it met with Pierre Cadieux, federal minister of State for Fitness and Sport. "He couldn't commit to the amount as the federal budget hasn't been finalized. But although the amount of funding is still on hold, we feel positive. We came away feeling the trip was successful. The Games budget, therefore, must wait until we hear what funding we will receive from the federal government."

Organizers approached three cities in Saskatchewan to host the Games: Regina, Saskatchewan and Prince Albert.

"Prince Albert was the only one to make a gift of all the facilities necessary for the Games," says Brant, who hails from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario. The University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) graduate has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Native studies. His forte is track and field, specifically the 800-meter. Brant joined Saskatchewan Athletics and became acquainted with Eugene Arcand who is North American Indigenous Games chairman.

Brant is quick to point out the Games were conceived for youth and as a result, the young athletes will have their food and accommodation provided.

"We realized, though, that adults are a necessary part of any successful Games so they are naturally included. The minimum age for competitors is 13 years but there is no maximum."

An influx of 6,000 athletes for seven days in July into a city with a population of approximately 33,000 creates a great logistics problem, agrees Brant.

"However, we have the use of three or four of the city's schools to use as sleeping quarters and we are planning three to four feeding centres."