Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to pay tribute to Kenneth Frank Delorme of Fort Resolution who passed away in October. He was more commonly known as Tinker.
Ken Delorme was born on April 12, 1969, and passed away on Monday, October 24, 2011. He was only 42 years old.
Ken had terminal cancer, with no cure, and spent many months in the hospital in the North and the South. Although Mr. Delorme may have been in a lot of pain and turmoil, he never once complained. Ken was a Metis man who loved life and lived it with a passion. He kept his humour about him until the day of his passing.
Ken was a family-oriented man who devoted a great deal of his time to his wife, children and siblings. He always felt connected to the land and enjoyed nothing more than being outdoors in the wilderness.
Tinker was a good hunter, trapper and fisherman and provided for his family. He learned to do the cultural and traditional skills at a very young age from his father and maintained this for his entire life. He always made sure he was never short, or his family was never short, of wild meat, fish or foods from the land. Tinker worked as a carpenter, truck driver and buffalo rancher.
Mr. Kenneth Delorme was a young man with a lot of wisdom. Over the past four years I got to know Ken. He gave me a lot of good, sound advice. It was always given for the benefit of the people of Fort Resolution. When I spoke to him for the very last time, he said, “Remember, we still have to build a road to Big Eddy.” For my friend Tinker, I will continue to work on that road.
Tinker is survived by his wife Cynthia; five children, Travis, Kenneth, Jordan, Adam and Tia; two grandchildren, Hailey and Harlin; four siblings, Lucy, Warren and his wife Velma, Richard and Grant; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and a great-nephew. He was very close to all of his family and spent a lot of time with them. Tinker was a son of the late Eva Fabien and Angus Delorme.
Today I would like to pass my condolence on to his family and friends, especially his wife and kids. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
