Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When growing up I remember such youthful optimism around me from everyone when we always talked about the future. I’m reminded of this when I see in the gallery today so many young people here. I remember hearing from people about where they wanted to go, what they wanted to see, and certainly we always heard about what they wanted to be. However, I can never recall anyone ever telling me, or anyone, for that matter, that they wanted to be homeless. That’s why today I want to recognize and certainly give great credit to the work being done by the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition.
As many of you in this House know, once built, the Betty House will roughly double the number of transition units for women and women with children here in Yellowknife. This is a significant endeavour and it will change the lives of many.
Approximately 150 women leave the Alison McAteer House every year and they need somewhere to go to help them get on their feet and move forward in a positive manner. The Betty House will create a safe and affordable housing opportunity to become a path for success to allow these women, and in some cases their children, to pursue a healthy lifestyle, get into the workforce and continue on with their life in a positive way.
The Betty House is an investment in people’s lives; make no doubt about that. It will help the health and future of women and children in this community and territory. Betty House is a true example of the community responding to a community need. With the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition leading this, I want to give particular note and appreciation to Dayle Hernblad, who is the coordinator of this initiative.
In the future the Betty House will be owned by the YWCA, but it couldn’t be done without the support of the Government of Canada, the NWT Housing Corporation and most definitely the City of Yellowknife. I would be remiss without making mention of such notable partners as BHP Billiton and The Brick, who lent their support over the weekend.
In closing I want to say that the Betty House is not just building a building, it’s also building a future for many Northerners who need a helping hand.
