Manitoba Indigenous Games: Program Description

The Manitoba Indigenous Games (MIG) Program will encompass the existing Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games (MISG) and the introduction of the Manitoba Indigenous Winter Games (MIWG) event. It will provide similar multi-sport games experience found in other events such as the North American Indigenous Games, MTS Manitoba Games, Canada Games and Western Canada Summer Games.

The MIG Program is considered a stepping-stone for other events, even to the MTS Manitoba Games; however, the MASRC strongly believes the MIG will become an event equal to and even surpassing other provincial multi-sport events in Manitoba and throughout Canada.

The MISG currently has 5 core sports including Athletics, Canoeing, Golf, Soccer and Softball. The MIWG will incorporate several more sports proposed to include, but not limited to; Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Minor Hockey, Swimming, Curling, etc. Sport selection in this event has yet to be decided.

Management & Administration

The MIG will continue to be governed through the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport & Recreation Council. The current governing policies and procedures for the MISG will be reviewed and revised to reflect the overall governance of the program. The majority of policies and procedures will likely be the same for both events (e.g. registration) but specific MISG/MIWG policies will be outlined as required.

Each successive MIG will continue to rotate from Northern and Southern communities. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities will be eligible to bid on the events; however, emphasis will focus on Aboriginal organizations/groups within those non-Aboriginal communities as potential hosts. Bid procedures for the MISG will be adjusted accordingly and apply to the MIWG.

The MASRC shall develop all areas of the MIG that will include the compilation of the supporting documents such as Technical and Staging Manuals.

Timeline

The MIG timeline will mimic the yearly schedule of the MTS Manitoba Games following a two-year summer and winter games rotation. Starting 2007 the MIG will immediately precede the MTS Manitoba Games by one year with the same seasonal event, i.e. Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games 2007 before 2008 MTS Manitoba Summer Games.

A long term planning strategy in consultation with Sport Manitoba has resulted in the following schedule:

• 2001 MISG - Host: Cross Lake, held in Cross Lake
   
• 2003 MISG - Host: MMF Southwest Region, held in Brandon
   
• 2004 Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games, The Pas / OCN, July 22-25
   
• 2006 Manitoba Indigenous Winter Games, Winnipeg
   
• 2007 Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games, South
   
• 2009 Manitoba Indigenous Winter Games, North
   
• 2011 Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games, North
   
• 2013 Manitoba Indigenous Winter Games, South
   
• 2015 Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games, South