Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take, also, a few minutes to say a few thanks. I'd like to thank the constituents of Range Lake for sending me back to the Legislature for the third time with another strong mandate. I want them to know that I will continue to work hard to be their voice and to represent their issues and concerns in this House. It's such a great honour and privilege to serve them as a Member. This is a time in my life I'm certain that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to express my appreciation to the Members of this House...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize there are lots of people there and it’s good to see them all. I just want to recognize a few people: Mr. Byrne Richards and Lydia Bardak who is very involved in the community issues and especially on homelessness and addiction issues in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to mark my final Member’s statement in the 15th Assembly by honouring the accomplishments of an outstanding young man from a family in my constituency, Mr. Jay Bran. Mr. Speaker, Jay was called to the Bar of the Northwest Territories on August 10, 2007, becoming one of the few but ever growing group of northern grown and aboriginal lawyers from the NWT.

Jay and his family moved to Yellowknife when he was three years old. He attended St. Joseph Elementary School, William MacDonald Junior High School and Sir John Franklin High School. He...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I have the permission of this House when I say we collectively pray and sincerely ask that they will stay in the North, live and work, raise their families and retire here. Mr. Speaker, I also know that Jay’s family and especially his wife, Pam, was at his side before, during and after law school. They share every bit of Jay’s accomplishment today.

Mr. Speaker, as someone who has had the firsthand experience of going through our wonderful NWT education system in the North, going through law school, which is often compared with the military boot camp, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say this model UN will simulate the activities of various UN bodies and be a significant opportunity to help northern youth realize their own sense of global citizenship.

I commend the work of UNA-Canada and Centre for Northern Families and I ask this House to do the same and recognize them in the in the audience later. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2006, the United Nations Association in Canada established a national initiative designed to promote diversity and reduce racism in Canada. UNA-Canada launched a project entitled “A Sense of Belonging” and established partnerships with local agencies in nine communities across Canada, one of which was the Centre for Northern Families in Yellowknife.

The United Nations Association is a Canadian non-governmental organization mandated to promote UN programs and activities within Canada. UNA-Canada sees itself as the people’s movement for the UN.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When I introduced the motion, I tried to follow the rule of making a statement that is quite narrow and to the motion, but I do appreciate the nature of the discussion by necessity and, more importantly, took on wider statements on the part of the Members. I appreciate very much all the comments and the points the Members made. I think we are doing good work here. I respect everybody’s opinion with regard to that.

Mr. Chairman, I think it should be made very clear that at no time during discussions of this bill in the committee or in the public hearings did we ever...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to be very brief as well, although I can’t promise to be as brief as Mrs. Groenewegen from Hay River South. Mr. Speaker, I just want to acknowledge two things. One is it’s not usual for us to have a debate like this where we are mentioning a specific individual to maintain in the position. I think this is an extraordinary effort in that way.

I am also mindful that the Workers’ Compensation Board is independent from the government and I respect that independence. Having said that, I am in support of this motion for the very reason that Mrs. Groenewegen so...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to think still that the words we put on the Hansard here are good and solid. Does that mean that I should expect that before the end of prorogation tomorrow? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize some of the people associated with the United Nations Association of Canada: project officers, Saad Omar Khan and Mara Brotman, both from Toronto.

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I think, actually, Saad might be from Ottawa. Sorry. Jeff MacKie, who is a national board of director for the NWT of the United Nations Association of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause