St. John’s, NL (June 9, 2025) – Tony Wakeham, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and MHA for Stephenville-Port au Port, today spoke out after hearing that several local sports teams preparing for the 2025 Canada Summer Games, being hosted in St. John’s, are being forced to fundraise to pay for uniforms.

Wakeham said he is aware of one team who will require $23,000 for uniforms but were only given $3,000. He said this is completely unfair given the significance of this national sporting event to our province, noting there have been numerous Liberal photo ops on the Summer Games, including proclaiming 2025 as the ‘Year of Sport’.

“It is incredibly disheartening that athletes are now getting bills for the Summer Games uniforms, on top of the thousands they have spent on training and conditioning,” said Wakeham. “Rather than focussing on training, our teams are now worried about budgets. Last week the Minister boasted about our “world class” facilities for the Summer Games, but he needs to be reminded that the games are more than bricks and mortar.”

Wakeham, who proudly coached Newfoundland and Labrador men’s basketball at a previous games, said athletes and their families are planning car washes and cold plate fundraisers to raise money for the right to wear the province’s logo in August.

“This is simply wrong, and government should be embarrassed to let it happen,” added Wakeham. “With less than three months before the eyes of the country are on St. John’s, the priority of the Liberals seems to be hollow photo ops and press tours. Rather than sponsor a UK soccer team, I call upon Premier Hogan to do the right thing and properly outfit our athletes so they can focus on training and preparation for the games and know that their province is behind them in every way.”