Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement is with regard to recognition of Nunakput athletes at the Arctic Winter Games in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Today, I rise to recognize a number of young athletes from my riding of Nunakput who were representing the NWT in arctic sports and basketball at the recent Arctic Winter Games held in Fort McMurray, Alberta. These young athletes came from the small communities of Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, Holman and Tuktoyaktuk. I am confident that each athlete represented the NWT professionally, competitively and with sportsmanship.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to name the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak about health and social services and staffing in my riding of Nunakput. For the past number of years, the Nunakput riding has experienced reductions in services and staffing. A number of other concerns are raised by my constituents, such as elderly patients traveling without escorts and the lack of translation services. Recently, Mr. Speaker, on my return to Yellowknife, I received a short memo from the Minister of Health and copy of the letter indicating the closure of the health centre in Paulatuk, from January 6th to the 9th, 2004. This...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Congratulations on your election as Speaker and to Premier Handley on his election as Premier. First of all, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my wife Lucille, and my sons, Bertram and Darren -- you’ll have to excuse me, I’m getting emotional right now -- and my daughter Letitia. Without their full support and commitment over the next four years I would not have considered running in this election. Thank you to them very much. I would like to thank the constituents of Holman, Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk for electing me to represent them as their MLA for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my son Darren Pokiak up here and his uncle Rick Kikoak. I would also like to recognize my daughter, along with Gilbert Thrasher and his wife Lottie from Paulatuk, and also my brother Ernest Pokiak from Tuktoyaktuk and also Blake Noksana. Thank you very much.

---Applause