Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my last Member’s statement of this long winter session to pay tribute to a Canadian icon who died recently – as my friend Mr. Bouchard also did – the one and only Stompin’ Tom Connors.
Stompin’ Tom was a friend to all Canadians and wrote timeless songs about our great country from sea to sea. In his honour, I’d like to perform my own version of a song he didn’t write but often performed.
I was walking the winter road from Tulita to Norman Wells
when along came a trucker like a bat out of hell.
If you’re going to The Wells, he says,
with me you can ride.
I climbed in the cab
and then settled down inside.
He asked me if I’d ever seen a goat road
quite so bad as this.
I said, listen, bud, I’ve travelled every road
from Tuktoyaktuk to Fort Smith.
I’ve been everywhere, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Hiking the Canol Trail, man,
I breathed the mountain air, man.
Travel, I had my share of travel, man.
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Where ye have been, he says?
Oh, let me see now, a couple places.
I’ve been to Salt River, Trout Lake, Midway, McPherson,
Taltson, Porcupine, Carcajou, Coppermine,
Detah, Dory Point, Fort Res, Checkpoint,
Behchoko, Gameti, Wekweeti, Whati,
Hay River times two, Boot Lake, Sahtu.
I’ve been everywhere, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Drove the Ingraham Trail, man,
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Travel, I’ve done my share, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Now this truck driver turns to me and says,
Look, buddy, you ain’t the Sahtu George Jones,
you want to get out and walk?
And I say, why? Somebody else wants to talk?
Inuvik, Aklavik, Ndilo, Tsiigehtchic,
Huskey Lake, Kelly Lake, Lac de Gras, Enodah,
Fort Liard, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Paulatuk,
Twin Lakes, Colville, up, up, up in Tuk
K’atlodeeche, Jean Marie, Nahanni Butte, Lidlii Kue
Fort Providence, Jean Marie, it’s okay in Lutselk’e.
Now this truck driver says, Look here, buddy,
I’m sick and tired of hearing you talk about all those small communities.
How about a few places from good ol’ Yellowknife?
Like Range Lake, Great Slave, Weledeh, Frame Lake,
YK Centre, YK South, Kam Lake
Two more seats for YK? Give me a break!
---Laughter
---Applause
I’ve been everywhere, man. Everywhere. Ever good, man.
Cross the barrens bare, man,
I’ve breathed the Arctic air, man.
I’ll always be a Sahtu man!
So safe travels to my fellow MLAs, man.
And to you too, Stompin’ Tom.
We’ll miss you.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
