Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we are celebrating 40 years of the signing of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. This agreement is a culmination of many, many years of negotiations by Inuvialuit who sacrificed their lives, time away from their families, time away from the land, from harvesting, from work, to see this agreement through.
This agreement's negotiation was born at a time when industry was knocking on the door in the Arctic, and government was opening it up. To protect our rights, our land, and the ocean, the Inuvialuit developed a negotiating mandate based on evidence which included mapping out our traditional land use and occupancy, Indigenous rights to the land, and comanagement of the area.
Mr. Speaker, two elders we lost in May 2024 were very significant to the negotiations and the implementation of the claim. Mr. Robert Kuptana, a generous, kindhearted Inuvialuk, who was part of the negotiating team on behalf of the Inuvialuit, a signatory to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, former IRC chair and CEO, a harvester, a hunter, a husband to Agnes, a father and grandfather, a Inuvialuk language expert who could speak three dialects of Inuvialuktun with ease. I wish to honour Robert today.
Also, I want to recognize Mr. Frank Pokiak, former chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council. Frank was instrumental in implementing the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. As chair of the game council, he was the lead in all comanagement efforts and representing us globally. Frank was a harvester, a hunter, a tradesman, a husband, a father and grandfather. I wish to honour Frank today.
Over the last little while, we've lost so many, including Mrs. Margaret Klengenberg, Mr. Barry Jacobson, Ms. Nita Felix, Mr. Angus Himolok, Mrs. Maureen Pokiak, Mrs. Mabel Niyok, and Mr. Adam Wolki. God bless their families and prayers for comfort and strength today and all the days ahead. Their greatest legacy are their children and grandchildren.
I offer congratulations to Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, IRC chair and CEO, and the entire Inuvialuit team in celebrating 40 years of successful implementation of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and governance of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, a corporation that's diverse, successful, and an example for many other land claim organizations. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Nunakput. Members' statements.
