Shane Thompson

I'd like to thank Karen Mitchell for the opening guiding words for us today.

Colleagues, yesterday I was a very bad grandpa. I forgot to wish my grandson Freddie Vanderheyden a Happy 12th Birthday yesterday. So I would like to wish him a Happy Belated 12th Birthday. As well, tomorrow my better half's grandson and Danielle her daughter's Danielle son Scott Eggen is also turning 12. So we have two boys that have birthdays really close together, and they both live in Calgary. So wishing him a happy birthday.

On behalf of the Members from Hay River South and Hay River North, I'd like to welcome the...

Colleagues, yesterday I talked about our Youth Parliament and the great job the youth did. In keeping in the theme with some of my colleagues today, I did ask the youth person if I could do their statement in the House. Leo Ehrlich represented the Nahendeh region. Here is his statement:

Kids tend not to like school. The reason we look forward to breaks, the weekend and such, is because we don't want to spend all day, every day, in a dark room memorizing complex formulas and grammatical rules that, unless speaking to an English teacher, will most likely never get used in daytoday life. Now, I'm...

Colleagues, on April 1st, 1946, the Creator gifted Alexi and Anna Mouse with a son Roy Joseph Mouse, whose Dene name was Eh'tsoa.

Roy was born on the land and from that moment onwards, this is where you could find him. Roy carried the sacred knowledge passed down from the people of the region. He knew all the traditional traplines, hunting grounds, and gathering spots of various animals and, most importantly, the gift of giving. Roy was the quiet member of his family but when he spoke or had ideas, the family would listen to him.

I can tell you the family and friends would talk about how he...

Good afternoon. Please join me in thanking Elder Marc Casaway for opening words and blessing today. Thank you.

I'd also like to thank the Aurora Fiddle Society's Fiddle Cats for the exciting performance today. What a wonderful way to kick off this sitting of the Legislative Assembly. It is great to see and hear our youth in this Chamber. Please join me in thanking the Fiddle Cats and wishing them success at the Pan northern Youth Fiddle Summit in Yukon later this summer.

Colleagues, I want to say a final thank you to our recently retired Commissioner, the Honourable Margaret Thom. Commissioner...

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank our elder that has come back, Member from the 18th and 19th Assembly. As we have done with our traditional, our opening, you know, guiding words, the blessings, I'd like to thank Mr. O'Reilly for actually being here today. You know, being an elder, he left us, but we still appreciate all his work that he's done for us in the 18th and 19th Assembly. So thank you very much, Kevin.

Today is going to be very hard for me, as I do a celebration of life for Isadore Simon. I was very fortunate to call him and Lucy, mom and dad. He was born on November 7, 1945, in Rocher River, NWT to Charlotte Simon and David King. Isadore was raised in Rocher River by Joseph Jerome and Charlotte. Isadore had TB at a young age and when he was released from the hospital, he lived with the Dumels who took care of him. Isadore lived there until he was forced to relocate to Fort Resolution after the school burnt down.

Isadore was taught his tradition skills of hunting and trapping by his stepdad...

Ladies and gentlemen, with a deep heart I will be doing this eulogy. Vincent James Bertrand was born in Yellowknife on September 4th, 1985, to parents Norma Bertrand and Melvin Timbre. When Vince was younger, his dad would make him a toboggan out of cereal boxes and pop cans. Vince would play outside for hours pulling his toboggan with his toys inside of it.

Vincent grew up in Fort Liard and was raised by his grandparents Mary Jane and William Bertrand. His grandfather William gave Vince his traditional name of SehSeh. Vince loved spending his time with his grandparents and traveling with them...

I'd like to thank Karen Mitchell for the blessing today.

Good afternoon, colleagues. As we are all aware, the Arctic Winter Games were held in the MatSu Valley in Alaska. The Games will mostly take place in the Valley's two largest cities, Palmer and Wasilla. Just an hour north of Anchorage, separated by 16 miles, they serve as a major hub of commercial, tourism, and recreation. The games are being held March 10th to the 16th. We will witness approximately 2,000 participants, coaches, admission staff, and officials from eight contingencies attend these games.

Colleagues, I'm very proud to say we have nine athletes representing five sports, one coach...

Thank you. I'd like to thank Marc Casaway for the prayer this morning.