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The Arctic Winter Games Through the Years
In 1967, at the first Canada Winter Games in Quebec
City, three men from the North were dismayed to witness
the decisive besting the competing northern athletes in
their competitions. At those Games, the seed of an idea
was born; to provide an arena for northern athletes to
train, develop and compete, and create the opportunity
for them to go as far as they wanted to in their chosen
sport. Those three men, Stuart Hodgson, Commissioner
of the Northwest Territories, James Smith, Commissioner
of the Yukon, and Bud Orange, Member of Parliament for
NWT, contacted Walter Hickel, Governor of Alaska, and
proposed a Northern Games, to provide their youth with
the same opportunities as their southern counterparts.
Thus, in 1968 the Arctic Winter Games Corporation
(now Arctic Winter Games International Committee) was
created, with the plan for the first Games to be held in
1970 underway. Those first Games were launched by
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and attended by 500
participants and coaches from three contingents; the
Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska.
For the 20th Games in 2008, the growth and evolution
of that idea 40 years ago is astounding. These Games
will host 2,000 participants and coaches, with 2,500
volunteers, 200 sponsors, and countless organizations and
people contributing to its success. There is representation
from nine contingents and five countries, with a vibrant
cultural program that blends in a colourful and richly
textured mosaic to all of the sporting activities.
awg through the years
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