Rodeo is “not a sport but a way of life for Albertans” and “mirrors the values and character that Albertans represent today”, an MLA told the Legislature on Tuesday..However, adopting it as the province’s official sport without consultation to other activities poses a risk of leaving some residents feeling “left out”, according to an opposition member..The debate in the chamber occurred when Jackie Lovely — UCP MLA for Camrose — moved a second reading of Bill 205 which proposes to adopt rodeo as Alberta’s official sport..Introducing the debate, Lovely said sports were “not just for competition but also a way of life that creates a cultural identity”..“Without the rodeo and chuckwagon races there would be a missing piece in Alberta’s proud Western heritage,” she told MLAs..“Rodeo and chuckwagon promote Alberta’s strong cultural mindset of being a proud maverick. Alberta was founded by settlers who embodied the values of hard work, resilience against the untamed prairies, and communities built by people who believe in one another.”.“Rodeos and chuckwagon racing display all these traits and characteristics, [and] are sports that demonstrate a passion for improving oneself, both mentally and physically. They bring together the young and the old to rally around adversity and competition.”.“This also describes who Albertans are, what we stand for, and why we live in the most fantastic province in Canada. When visitors come from across Alberta, the country, and the world to participate in rodeo and chuckwagon events, it gives Alberta a chance to welcome people from different backgrounds. It creates a sense of community, belonging, and friendship.”.Adopting it as the province’s official sport would help illustrate its importance “to our province and local communities, who work year-round preparing for the season”..Lovely’s Bill was supported by many of her UCP colleagues; Ronald Orr said it would “show how our government embraces the culture and heritage of our great province” and support economic prosperity, while David Hanson referenced the number of cowboy hats in the public gallery..However, an NDP MLA raised concerns over the Bill with Nicole Goehring claiming she had heard other sports clubs were “feeling left out”..Goehring told MLAs: “They’re not feeling like they’ve been included in the conversation about selecting a sport for the province, and I would like to hear from the honourable member that brought this forward what that consultation looked like, whose voices were at the table, and how it was determined that rodeo was selected.”.“I think that Alberta is a very, very diverse province, and I think we have so much going for us when it comes to sport. I would hope that the honourable member took opportunity to speak to the many, many levels of sports that are represented all across the province.”.Referring to a 2018/19 report into sports participation in Alberta — in which rodeo was not considered “a common sport of interest and participation” — Goehring added: “I know that a decision like this requires a great deal of consultation. I know that when we are standing up for what we believe the official sport should be, it’s important to have rodeo at the table, but it’s also important to have other organized sports at the table.”.“Just listening to the conversations that are happening within the sports community, that doesn’t seem to be the case. There are many that have felt ignored by this government. They’ve felt a lack of support from this government, and they haven’t been at the table for decisions about what their needs are, what supports they would like to see.”.“I certainly haven’t heard from them that they were at the table to be consulted with when considering the designation of Alberta’s official sport.”.The debate was adjourned due to time constraints and will be discussed further at a future session.
