The provincial government is responding to comments from Opposition Leader Tony Wakeham suggesting that some teams are being forced to fundraise to purchase their Team NL uniforms for the Canada Summer Games.

Wakeham, a former Canada Games basketball coach, says he’s aware of one team who will require $23,000 for uniforms, but was only provided with $3,000.

That’s something he calls “completely unfair” given the significance of the Canada Summer Games in this, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Year of Sport.

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation says government provided funding through provincial sports organizations to purchase team uniforms for Canada Games athletes and participants.

The only uniform requirement from the Canada Games Council is that athletes wear Team NL colours, with most sports requiring two uniforms per athlete.

Athletes were provided with a kit of various clothing items at no cost to them including a rain jacket, hoodie, long-sleeve shirt, shorts, two Team NL shirts, a vintage Canada Games ’77 shirt, a backpack, water bottle, socks and hat.

The department says some sports organizations have chosen to purchase additional branded apparel—items that government says are optional and not mandated by the Canada Games Council.