Two provinces out of Hobbema games

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The Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta says Saskatchewan is not going to participate in the Hobbema games. Sources say Manitoba has, or soon will, make the same decision.

Barb Modeste, executive assistant of the Alberta sport council, explains that the Saskatchewan Indian Summer Games are so close, timewise, to the western games that it would just be too much for them to handle, especially on the money end of things.

The western games are scheduled to take place in the last week of July at the Hobbema reserve, a one-hour drive south of Edmonton. Organizer Marcel Saulteaux maintains that they will proceed even though he admits they do not yet have a games manager nor funding confirmations. The community does have adequate facilities, an ambulance and fire dapartment, security, transportation services and the ability to feed the sports delegates. Nonetheless, finances are crucial to the success of any such major event.

The current standing of the western games was to be dealt with at a March 22 chef de missions teleconference, which was postponed unitl March 25 due to a funeral at Hobbema. Two of those individuals included Saulteaux and games chairperson, Willie Littlechild.

While there is still appears to be some question about whether the games at Hobbema will proceed, the Indigenous Sport Council is adamant that they will have a western games one way or another. "We'll go with Plan C," said Modeste.

Sport Council director Ted Hodgson reiterates Modeste's statement that the games will happen, even if they have to split it up between different First Nation communities. However, the dates would likely change as well, he said.

"I won't go with July. I'll probably go with the end of August."

The director of sport, culture and recreation for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, Glen Pratt, said his organization supports the concept of a western games and even hopes to one day host such an event. But, for this year, it's not going to work out for Saskatchewan.

"We didn't feel we could do a good job of fielding a team," he said. "We had to look at spending $400,000 to benefit 300 athletes at the western games or spend the same $400,000 to host our own games - something that will benefit 2,500 athletes."

He said the on-again, off-again nature of the games was not considered a good risk by Saskatchewan decision-makers.

"They didn't seem to be too prepared," he said. "We decided it would be better to focus on our own games."