Arabnews24.ca:Sunday 29 January 2023 08:14 PM: Watch the opening ceremonies live on CBC North starting at 6:50 MT Sunday, Jan. 29 with Devin Heroux of CBC Sports in English and Teresa Qiatsuq of CBC Nunavut in Inuktitut.
ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᔪᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᒪᑐᐃᕐᑕᐅᓂᖓ ᑏᕖᒃᑯᑦ
ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑲᐅᑎᒋᓛᕐᑐᑦ 6:50 ᐅᓄᓕᕐᑎᓗᒍ
ᑕᕐᕋᒥᐅᑉ ᓯᕿᖑᔭᖓ ᒪᓕᒡᓗᒍ ᓰᐲᓰᒃᑯᑦ
ᓈᒃᑎᖑᔭᐅᓕᕐᐸᑦ ᔮᓄᐊᕆ - 29 - ᒥᑦ
ᑎᐊᕕᓐ ᕼᐅᕋᒃᔅ ᖃᓪᓗᒡᓈᑎᑐᑦ
ᑐᕇᓴ ᕿᐊᑦᓱᒃ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᑎᐅᓛᕐᑑᒃ
When Kyra McDonald carries the flag of the Northwest Territories through the opening ceremonies of the Arctic Winter Games, she's going to be thinking about her family and friends back home in Inuvik.
McDonald, who is in Fort McMurray, Alta. for the Games' kickoff Sunday night, has been named the N.W.T.'s flagbearer. She'll join Haley Hachey of Baker Lake, Nunavut, and Jaymi Hinchey, of Whitehorse, each representing their respective territories — news McDoanald received Saturday night.
"I had a hard time sleeping last night," she said with a laugh on Sunday.
"I'm beyond excited to have the opportunity to be the flagbearer ... Words can't really describe how excited I am for it."
'A lot of pride'
Growing up in Inuvik, McDonald learned to skate pretty much as soon as she learned to walk. She started playing minor hockey when she was very young, and now plays university-level hockey at Trinity Western University in British Columbia.
"I have a lot of pride, coming from such a small town and making it as far as I did," McDonald said.
The Arctic Winter Games will run all week, with 20 different sports taking place in 13 different venues across the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Sunday's opening ceremonies — which will be held outdoors — are meant to really give people a show, said Nicole Clow, the general manager of the Wood Buffalo Arctic Winter Games Host Society. They will include a dogsled team carrying in the torch to light the cauldron. It's the only time sled dogs will make an appearance this year as they were left off the slate of sports.
The previous time the Games were held in 2018, only two teams participated — Alaska and the Northwest Territories.
The opening ceremonies will also feature a performance by The Halluci Nation, followed by fireworks.
Clow said excitement has been building in the community. Close to 2,000 people have offered to volunteer to help make the Games a success.
"It's a chance to show off, something to celebrate. It's been a while — it's been a lot of hard years, but we've got a lot of community support," she said.
"I think there's just this yearning to get going, because it's been five years."
John Rodda, the president of the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, said the buzz around the Games is much bigger this year, given that the 2020 Games were cancelled.
"You can feel the excitement as everybody's getting ready," he said.
The decision to bar Russia from attending the Games this year, while unfortunate, hasn't diminished the event, he added.
"The games will go on, they'll be hugely successful. The kids will have fun. It'll be a memorable experience."
