It’s time for us to honour our northern students who are graduating from high schools, Aurora College and other post-secondary institutions. We encourage their continuing personal development and lifelong learning. I am honoured to be invited to participate in several graduation ceremonies across the NWT, and I am always pleased to visit our communities to attend such happy community celebrations.

I am also looking forward to welcoming their Royal Highnesses William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to the Northwest Territories this summer. We have a beautiful territory and I hope this will be just the first of many visits they will want to make here.

As this sitting draws to a close, I wish the Members of this House good health and happiness as you enjoy the coming summer and continue work in your constituencies.

As Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following bills:

Bill 3, Electronic Transactions Act

Bill 4, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2011

Bill 5, Write-off of Debts Act, 2010-2011

Bill 6, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2010-2011

Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Local Authorities Elections Act

Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act

Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 6, 2010-2011

Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012

Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012.

Thank you, merci beaucoup, mahsi quo, quanami.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Colleagues, this has been one of the shortest sittings of the Assembly, but it has been nevertheless very productive. As we leave today, I know many of you are getting ready to travel to the communities, will be reviewing bills at public meetings throughout the territory, Ministers will continue to guide the government of the Northwest Territories, and as a Caucus we will be meeting and begin planning for the transition to the 17th Legislative Assembly.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pages who have been assisting us the last two weeks.

---Applause

We have had students from Deline, Gameti and Yellowknife. Thank you all for your excellent work you have done in this House.

Colleagues, I am looking forward to one of my favourite duties as your Speaker. I will be travelling with our Mace to the Sahtu at the end of May. We will be in Norman Wells at the Mackenzie Mountain School and at the Chief T’Selehye School in Fort Good Hope to deliver the Speaker’s Outreach Program. I invite all the residents of these communities, young and old, to join us for a viewing of our spectacular Mace and to learn more about the role of the Legislative Assembly and the duties of our elected officials.

There are several other special and important events which will take place during our adjournment which I would like to mention today. By formal motion of the House, this Assembly agreed to formally observe May 26th as the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation. This day has been set aside to support our communities, families and individuals who endured, and continue to endure, the impacts of the residential school system. I urge all Members and all residents of the NWT to take some time on May 26th to celebrate a positive collective healing and reconciliation process with your families, your friends and your communities. Acknowledging the healing and reconciliation process will help to move the Northwest Territories towards a stronger and healthier future.

Members, I also encourage you to take some time during the next few months to spend time with family and friends enjoying the upcoming Victoria Day holiday and taking part in the festivities surrounding National Aboriginal Day on June 21st and, of course, Canada Day on July 1st.

A great honour for our territory this summer is the expected visit of their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I would like to take this opportunity to extend the congratulations of this House to the royal couple on their recent marriage. We are looking forward to extending our northern hospitality and sharing a small piece of our beautiful northern summer with the royal couple during their visit.

In closing, colleagues, I wish you safe travels and good judgment as you continue your work. I look forward to meeting you in this Chamber for our last sitting of the 16th Legislative Assembly in August. Thank you, colleagues.