FREDERICTON (GNB) – The mission staff leading Team Canada – New Brunswick to the upcoming VII Games of La Francophonie were announced today by Healthy and Inclusive Communities Minister Dorothy Shephard. The Games will be held Sept. 6-15 in Nice, France.
"As the minister responsible for sport and recreation, I am pleased with the high calibre of individuals who have been selected as mission staff,” said Shephard. "We want our athletic and artistic delegation to be able to focus on the training, preparation and competition in Nice, while the mission staff members look after all of the other details."
Team Canada – New Brunswick's mission staff is made up of provincial government employees and volunteers selected from communities across the province:
● Chef de mission: Jean-Luc Benoit, Maugerville.
● Assistant chef de mission (culture): Bunthivy Nou, Fredericton.
● Assistant chef de mission (sport): Jason Arseneault, McLeod Hill.
● Communication and media: Normand Léger, Dieppe.
● Secretariat and logistics: Mélanie Arsenault, Miramichi.
● Sport-culture liaison: Eric Larocque, Moncton.
The staff will work with the chef de mission and the assistant chefs de mission to help New Brunswick's participants prepare for and take part in the Games.
"The main objective of our mission staff will be to create an ideal environment that will contribute to the success of our athletes and artists," said Shephard. "These individuals will also play an ambassadorial role for the province at this international event. I thank all members of the mission staff team for dedicating their time and talents to this important event, which gives young New Brunswick artists and athletes the opportunity to shine on the international stage.”
More than 20 young people from New Brunswick will join 3,000 other athletes and artists from some 50 states and governments at the Games.
New Brunswick competed in the first six Games, held in Morocco, France, Madagascar, Canada (Ottawa-Hull), Niger and Lebanon, winning a total of 14 medals.
07-02-13