Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand to speak about a young lady who has been selected to be part of the Prime Minister's Youth Council from my riding.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that Sylvia Pascua-Matte is the youngest member on this council. She's 17 years old. She will be completing her grade 12 this year and she is a student from Thomas Simpson School. This fall she plans on attending university. She is narrowing her research as we speak.
Some of the returning Members may recognize her name as she represented Nahendeh in the youth parliament in Yellowknife where she had the opportunity to be MLA and represent our riding in front of her peers right here in this Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, this young lady has been engaged in a number of organizations in Fort Simpson throughout her young life. This includes student council, past president and now their treasurer, the Historical Society, the Garden Society, and during her free time she works part-time for the Open Doors Society.
Sylvia has attended a three-day session in Ottawa which ran from September 28th to the 30th. During the orientation, she had the opportunity to meet some of her fellow council members and partook in some of the One Youth World Summit sessions and met delegates from around the world. In speaking with her about the council, she said the focus was on how the council would work and the communication strategies they would use when they returned to their community. Some of the highlights of her trip were a tour of the hill and their buildings, watching Question and Answer Period, and meeting Members and Ministers of the Parliament. As well, she had the opportunity to hear a fellow member speak about her experience as a refugee.
I asked Ms. Pascua-Matte why she applied to be part of this council. She said her past positive experiences as a member of the student council, youth parliament, and her volunteer and work experience were part of it and the desire to have a say in the future development of the country as a member of the generation likely to be impacted by future development.
Mr. Speaker, Sylvia is very excited about the next steps. She's already back engaging the community and listening to the youth on what they think and care about and will bring the information back to the council where they will discuss their decision. She is hoping to have them understand what it is to be a Northerner for the past, present and future.
Mr. Speaker, like young people like her and others, I feel good about our future. I would like to congratulate her, and I know we're going to hear great things about her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Item 2, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
