Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate two remarkable women in my riding: Margaret Ann Landry and Pauline Bonnetrouge. On March 8th, the Status of Women Council honoured Margaret Ann Landry of Fort Providence as one of this year’s wise women. Margaret was chosen for this award for her tireless work for people in need. She cleans houses for the elders, runs errands, and cooks and shares food with the hungry. She opens her door to women who are in need of shelter from abuse and listens to them with compassion. Congratulations to Margaret on this well-deserved award.
As of this Sunday, Pauline Bonnetrouge of Fort Providence was 100 years young.
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As a child, Pauline travelled with her parents on the trapline, living in stick lean-tos. Her sisters taught her how to tan hides, set snares, fix snowshoes and sew. After she got married, Pauline enjoyed helping her husband on the land. She would take their dog team to visit her nets and set snares. Pauline also became a traditional midwife and delivered a lot of babies in the Fort Simpson area in the 1940s. She herself had seven children, 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Congratulations to Pauline on her milestone birthday. She is a true matriarch of her community.
Fort Providence is greatly blessed to have women like Margaret Ann Landry and Pauline Bonnetrouge among us.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
