Pomerleau Is Sponsoring This Year’s North American Indigenous Games

To further cultivate our relationships with Indigenous peoples and businesses, we are sponsoring this year’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). The 2023 NAIG, which will be held from July 15-23, will bring together more than 5,000 athletes, coaches, and staff from 756+ Indigenous Nations to celebrate, share and reconnect through sport and culture.

2023 marks the tenth edition of the NAIG and Pomerleau’s first time sponsoring the event. The competition holds a long and impactful history. Indigenous peoples have been playing games since creation. With every game, there is strong link to the land, water, air, and a spiritual connection to the creator. This year’s edition will host competitions in 16 sports (with three traditional Indigenous sports including Canoe/Kayak, Lacrosse, and 3D archery) in 21 venues across Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth and Millbrook First Nation, in Nova Scotia.

The theme of NAIG 2023 is Pjila'si - the Mi'kmaw word for welcome, there is space for you here which encompasses the hospitality and welcoming nature of the region.

NAIG 2023 in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) aims to bring together people from across Turtle Island, welcoming them in the spirit of friendship, sport and culture. ─NAIG Mission Statement 2023.

The 19U basketball competition, held at Saint Mary’s University’s Homburg Building, will be presented by Pomerleau. We will also be sending volunteers and equipment to support the operations of the event.

For us, this partnership is more than simply being a sponsor. In 2022, we released our first ESG report and platform, Perspective. Within the report, we have designated one of our six priorities to Indigenous relations. We believe that reconciliation through sport and culture provides an amazing opportunity to create understanding, foster Indigenous self-determination and forge bonds.