Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to a well-respected elder, Pierre Catholique from Lutselk’e, who passed away last week. Elder Pierre Catholique was born May 1, 1927, and passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, at age 84.
Pierre was born and raised around the Artillery Lake area at Gahcho Kue and that’s also in the Reliance area, known as Nats’ejee K’eh. He lived a very traditional lifestyle by hunting, trapping, fishing and gathering on the land. As a young man Pierre worked with the RCMP in Fort Reliance and worked in the mining exploration industry in Pine Point and Yellowknife areas. He did commercial fishing out of Hay River. Pierre eventually settled in Lutselk’e and continued a traditional and cultural lifestyle.
Pierre was well known for making traditional art and handicrafts, such as miniature dog teams, snowshoes, caribou hide drums and baby rattles. I’m fortunate enough to have two of Pierre’s drums that he made last year.
Pierre was actively involved in the East Arm Park proposal and was a member of the Thaidene Nene Parks Advisory Committee. He was instrumental in the direction that’s been taken for creating the Thaidene Nene Park.
Pierre was very concerned about the land and water. He was the first person to tell me about the contamination at Stark Lake. He asked me to ensure that a Stark Lake mining exploration site was cleaned up. He blamed that site for the mercury levels in the fish at Stark Lake.
Pierre is survived by his children: Mary Jane, who is married to Chief Antoine Michel; Herman; Joseph; Marina, married to Robert; Henry; and he also had custom adopted Ray Griffith, who is the current band manager, as his son. His siblings are Edward, John, Joe, Victor, Alfred, Annie, Agnes and Lorraine, as well as 14 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, cousins and friends in Lutselk’e, Fond du Lac, Saskatchewan, across the Great Slave Lake and across the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. My condolences go out to Pierre’s family.
A church service for Pierre was held on Saturday, December 3, 2011, which I attended. Pierre will be buried in Fort Reliance on Saturday, December 10, 2011, alongside his wife, Judith, and son Lawrence, as was his wish. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
