Mr. Silver: I also rise today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to pay tribute to the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day. This year, April 18 is dedicated the heritage of sports. Sports and physical expression are at the root of many cultures, demonstrating values, emotion and intent. The preservation of heritage provides an eye into the development of cultures, including architecture and art.

Sport and activity can be quite distinct around cultures. Each has its own character, from team or individual sport to dance and games. They create a sense of identity, promoting community involvement and physical and mental well-being. Here at home, we are lucky to be surrounded by cultural expression through art, dance and sport. The Arctic Winter Games, which recently took place in Greenland, brings many northern cultures together and incorporates aboriginal sport through the Dene games. In Yukon, there are a variety of First Nation dance and music groups — the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in singers in Dawson, the Kaska drummers from Ross River and the Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, just to name a few.

Without preservation of culture, identities are lost. As the representative for Klondike, I would like to thank the Dawson City Museum, the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre and the Parks Canada workers for their outstanding efforts to preserve culture and heritage in Dawson City and in the surrounding areas.