Mahsi, Please be seated. Good afternoon, Madam Speaker, Premier Cochrane, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, staff and visitors in the public gallery. [No Translation].
Thank you, it is always a great feeling and an honour to be here and see all of you. Thank you for your ongoing commitment and hard work on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories.
With deep respect, I acknowledge and am reminded that we are on Chief Drygeese traditional territory, home to the Yellowknives Dene, the North Slave Metis, and Inuit. We are grateful to live, to work, to celebrate on your sacred lands and to welcome as visitors.
I further extend my respect to all Indigenous, Metis, Inuit, and nonIndigenous people who make the Northwest Territories their home. It is my honour to take this moment to remember the dedication and proud service made by current and past brave members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Remembrance Day is Friday, November 11th, and it is a day when we remember and honour all who left their homes and families to fight for our country and, more importantly, for our freedoms. Some of these brave men and women never returned home. They died serving Canada.
As your Commissioner, I will proudly take part in the Remembrance Day ceremony in Hay River this year, and I will remember and honour the fallen and their ultimate sacrifice for our country.
It is with deep respect and pride that I mention a postage stamp that was issued by Canada Post on October 17th. It shows Sergeant Thomas "Tommy" George Prince in his Korean War uniform. Sergeant Prince is one of Canada's most decorated Indigenous war veterans and was a prominent Anishinaabe activist. He served Canada in World War II and in the Korean War. He died in 1977.
November 8 is Indigenous Veteran’s Day, and on that day, I will remember and honour all Indigenous veterans by participating in the wreath ceremony at Lakeview Cemetery here in Yellowknife.
As this sitting comes to an end, I would like to wish each and every one of you good health, happiness, prosperity, a time for relaxation and a balanced lifestyle. Enjoy the blessed season that is soon upon us with your families and your constituents.
In closing, may each of you be gifted with continued guidance and vision as you work together cooperatively for the betterment of all residents of the Northwest Territories. I wish you all safety in your journey home to your loved ones.
Now, as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following bills:
Bill 48, Arbitration Act;
Bill 52, Elevators and Lifts Act;
Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act;
Bill 58, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2;
Bill 59, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act;
Bill 69, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 20222023;
Bill 70, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2022 2023;
Bill 71, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 20232024.
Masi cho. Thank you. Quyananni. Merci Beaucoup. Koana.
You may be seated. Members, on behalf of the House, I thank the Commissioner, the Honourable Margaret M., Thom, for being here today. It is always a pleasure to have her in the chamber.
I'd like to thank the pages who have been with us for this sitting. It is wonderful to see our youth with us in the chamber. I hope you have learned a little about how our unique form of consensus and how it works, and that you will stay interested in the Legislative Assembly where your representatives make decisions that will affect your lives now and in the future. Please keep up the good work.
I'd like to also encourage all our pages and all of our youth throughout the territory to learn about our Youth Parliament Program. Each year we host students in grade 9 to 10 from across the territory and hold a model session here. They have the opportunity to speak to and debate issues of importance. If you think you would be interested in the youth parliament, I encourage you to apply.
Thank you also to the interpreters who have joined us for this sitting and put up with us and our fast talking. Our languages are vital to our cultures and we honour our official languages by using them. The interpreters make this possible for us.
Members, I finally want to take a moment to thank our longserving SergeantatArms, Mr. Brian Thagard. We don't typically acknowledge our staff for their vital contributions to our successes; however, this is the last sitting of the Assembly before his upcoming and welldeserved retirement. So today I am making an exception to recognize Mr. Thagard for his hard work and dedication. Mr. Thagard has had a 32year career with the Government of the Northwest Territories, and for the past 18 years he has served this institution as our SergeantatArms, making him the longest currently serving SergeantatArms in Canada.
Applause
I know he doesn't like limelight. His greatest satisfaction is keeping the lights on, as he would say, so I will keep this short.
As SergeantatArms, Mr. Thagard has helped run a wonderful page program, bringing in youth from across the territory and giving them an experience that otherwise would not be available to them. He was also integral in setting up our directtohome broadcasting system, including appearing at the CRTC hearings in support of our application to have our proceedings designated as a mustcarry channel on directtohome satellite television throughout the territory. As SergeantatArms, Mr. Thagard has overseen the security, operations, and improvements to the Legislative Assembly building for nearly two decades. We consider this building to be a place of the people, and we see the philosophy throughout the work of Mr. Thagard and his team. The improvements he has overseen to improve both accessibility and security in this building are a great example of how he has been able to strike the necessary balance between running a safe and secure Legislative Assembly building while ensuring that the building and our proceedings remain open and accessible to the public.
Brian, you have been a part of this Assembly for so long that most of us cannot remember or imagine this place without your dedication and leadership. While I know that we have recommended the appointment of a very capable successor, we know that you will be missed. On behalf of this institution, I wish you and your wife Patrizia the very best in the next stages of your life. Brian, the world is your oyster; make the best of every day.
Members, next Friday, November 11th, is Remembrance Day, and I encourage each of you, and all Northerners, to take some time to reflect upon and honour those who have served this country in the Canadian Armed Forces. These brave men and women dedicated, and in some cases gave their lives, to fight for our country and to make a better future for each of us. In these troubled times, their service and sacrifice are deserving of our gratitude more than ever. Members, please join me in thanking our veterans and serving members of our armed forces.
---Applause
Members, although this House will not sit again until the new year, we will remain busy. Our days will be filled with ongoing business of committees and government and our most important work serving our constituents. It's still a few weeks away, but as we enter the upcoming holiday season, I ask that you take some time to reflect upon what this season means to you. I also remind you to take the time to celebrate with your family and friends. Let them know how much they mean to you and how much you value their love and support and show them that they are appreciated.
This is the time of year can be difficult for many people. If you find yourself having a difficult time, please reach out. There are many people who care about you and who are willing to help you in any way they can. If somebody else is having a hard time or you believe that they may be, please make a point of checking on them. As Northerners, we help each other, we support each other, and we rely on each other. As we celebrate the holidays, please remember to do so safely. Travel safely on our roads and on the land. Thank you, colleagues.
I'd also like to take the time to this is Jennifer FrankiSmith, our clerk's last day in the House as when we return in February, she'll not be here and she may not be back. And we may see her if some of us get back in here in the next term. Hopefully she comes right back.
