Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was thinking about the Member’s statement I’m going to say this afternoon and I’m thinking about growing up in Tulita with my family. I want to start my Member’s statements from one of my uncle’s visits. He often talked to me over the time that he was alive in Tulita. He said if you wanted something done or you wanted something for yourself or your family just go and do it. Don’t rely on anybody. You have two hands, you have two ears and you have a mind, and thank God that he’s going to make use of you today.
Today people may be wondering why I’m starting my Member’s statement like this on the subject of anti-poverty. I think my uncle was saying do things for yourself. People have always done that. As I said, growing up in Tulita, my brothers and sisters and my friends’ lives were hard; but when I think back today, we didn’t know what poor was. We were just surviving. We had to hitch up the dogs in the winter, get wood, get ice. We did what we had to do to survive. We listened to our elders, we helped our grandparents and we worked as a family unit. Everybody helped out in the community. Everybody helped to make the community strong. Basically we supported our families, and we lived in our cultural way and we followed the beliefs of our people.
Today that is totally different. We rely on the government. We’ve become so dependent on the government, we’ve become poor. Our land is so rich and wealthy, our culture is so rich in culture and beliefs, but we have relied on the government and become so poor. When we look at our material wealth, we are poor in our communities. Single families especially are having a hard time. We have become so dependent on the government to get us water, haul out our waste, feed us, to clothe us. There are some strong, good people in the Northwest Territories who want to make a difference and we should get on board with them and help them, and get this Anti-Poverty Strategy developed and strategize to be implemented as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
