Frederick Blake Jr.

Yes, I do, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present the 2020-2021 Main Estimates for the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly is seeking an operations expenditures appropriation of $22,720,000 for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. This is an increase of $277,000, or a 1.23 percent increase, in funding from the 2019-2020 Main Estimates.

This budget represents the important work we will undertake during the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed funding will be used to advance strategic initiatives and address forced-growth matters. These are:

additional staff resources for our...

Thank you. Including the Ombud, there are three positions. We have the Ombud plus two staff. Thank you.

Thank you. It's adding one position to a full-time position, and also an investigator which the Information and Privacy Commissioner felt that they needed in order, instead of things going to litigation, to try to resolve them, I do believe. Thank you.

Colleagues, I would like to congratulate one of my constituents, Ms. JenniLee Vaneltsi-Pascal, on becoming a contestant on the Food Network's new show Wall of Chefs, which aired last night, February 10, 2020. Along with four other home cooks from across Canada, she competed in a cook-off for $10,000. Originally from Fort McPherson, JenniLee, a busy mother of three, is currently living in Tsiigehtchic overseeing the daycare. Taking part in this series, JenniLee has drawn awareness to the protection of the Porcupine caribou herd as well as the protection of the Peel River watershed. It is a...

Colleagues, staff, and friends, it is my duty to advise this House of the passing of Ms. Haylee Carlson, who passed away yesterday, February 9, 2020. Ms. Carlson has been an employee of the Legislative Assembly for more than 16 years, but more than that, she has been a friend to us. She became family to us. On behalf of the Assembly, I extend our condolences to her family and friends. Colleagues, please join me in a moment of silence.

---Moment of silence

Good morning, colleagues. We have a personal explanation from the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Colleagues, this is a special day for a number of reasons. Obviously, it's the last day of the First Session of the 19th Legislative Assembly, and we will take some time to celebrate that later this afternoon. Before that, I'd like to take, first, a few minutes to shed light on the career of the Legislative Assembly's longest-serving and most deeply respected official, Mr. Darrin Ouellette. Early next year, Darrin will retire from a career of over 25 years with the NWT public service and the Legislative Assembly.

Prior to joining our team for the first time as operations assistant clerk during...

Colleagues, on December 1, 2019, Persis Gruben of Tuktoyaktuk passed away at the age of 101 years old. Persis was a much-loved and respected elder to all the people of the Beaufort Delta. She was born on the Peel River near Fort McPherson on October 20, 1918. Although she was born Gwich'in, she was welcomed into the Inuvialuit culture with open arms. Persis was the oldest living person in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. When she was died, she was the last survivor of the Shingle Point residential school.

Colleagues, please join me in expressing the condolences of this House to the family and...

Thank you, Ms. Snowshoe, for the prayer today. Ms. Snowshoe is one of my elders from Fort McPherson. Mahsi cho.

Members, interpreters, visitors in the gallery, and Pages, as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, it is my honour to welcome you here today during this holiday season.

It is the darkest time of the year, but I had the honour of lighting up the Assembly last week as part of Christmas Lights Across Canada. Thank you to all of the Yellowknife, Detah, and Ndilo kindergarten students who came to the Legislative Assembly to decorate the Christmas trees.

Also, thank you to the schools across...

Thank you, Members, for the trust you have put in me as your Speaker. I will do my very best to uphold that trust.

Colleagues, we have elected the first gender-balanced legislature in Canada. We have elected the only sitting female Premier in Canada, and we have elected the only majority female Cabinet in

Canada. This is truly an Assembly that will go down in history, and I am grateful that you have given me the opportunity to serve as your Speaker.

I heard it said during the campaign that the role of Speaker is largely ceremonial. Those of you who have worked in the Legislative Assembly before...