The N.W.T.'s legislature says Canada's national sport was born in the community of Deline … and it's daring anyone to prove them wrong.

On Thursday the legislative assembly passed a motion recognizing the community, 538 kilometres north of Yellowknife, as the rightful claimant to being the birthplace of hockey.

People in Deline say that, in 1825, the crew of Sir John Franklin's Arctic expedition exercised by playing hockey on the ice of Great Bear Lake near their community.

That was 18 years before a British army officer, in Kingston, Ont., recorded that he learned to skate and play hockey.

Norman Yakeleya, MLA for the Sahtu, says that's enough to prove that Canada's national game started in his riding in Deline. And he's ready to defend the claim.

"You know, in any game there's good goals, bad goals, right calls, bad calls, wait till it gets appealed and contested," he says. "But, you know, for us it's team N.W.T. and this is our champion. And come and defend it, take it away from us, we'll put up a good game."

Yakeleya was backed by Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay, who says Deline should take its claim a step further.

He wants recognition from Ottawa, and from the new prime minister.

"The new prime minister, Mr. Stephen Harper, is a noted hockey historian, some people may not know that but he's currently writing a book on the history of hockey in Canada," he says. "And it may be a perfect opportunity to get Mr. Harper to come to the Northwest Territories and come to Deline and see the real birthplace of hockey."

The MLAs gave unanimous support to the motion.

Premier Joe Handley promised to mention it at his first meeting with the new prime minister.