NDP Leader Darrell Dexter is pushing for more recreational time for youth, though he might need to spend some more time on the court himself.
Dexter held a press conference on a basketball court yesterday to promote his party’s Lighthouse and Every Kid Counts programs.
Dexter also took – and missed – several shots with Halifax Rainmen forward Eric Crookshank. It prompted Crookshank to make some cracks about Dexter’s free throw percentage until the leader finally sank a shot.
Unphased, Dexter told reporters the NDP platform would help use sports to steer youth away from getting into trouble.
The NDP are promising to spend about $2.7 million on the two youth programs, which Dexter said gives children a better start. He added the plan will make better use of existing facilities.
“It can be anything that a community decides that they want, that’s relevant to them. For example if they want to run an after school basketball program and make gym time available in the evenings, they can do that,” Dexter said.
“This will be an opportunity for us to open up, for example, school gymnasiums. Because the funding will be there in order for them to do that.”
