Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In our lives, most, if not all of us, will have some experiences with cancer. Some of us will get cancer ourselves, where others will have either family members or close friends who experience cancer. I myself recently had a member of my family diagnosed with cancer. I have to tell you that it is a really scary and stressful time both for the family and for the family member who has cancer.
In the Northwest Territories, we may give the Minister of Health and Social Services a hard time about our health care system, but going through that with my family member, I saw how strong our health care system is. There are challenges, but it is a strong system.
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I’d really like to thank those health professionals who help those patients, who have cancer, through the system: the doctors, the nurses, the X-ray technicians. These are great people doing great work and they deserve accolades upon accolades. I’d really like to thank them.
I’m really proud to be a resident of the Northwest Territories where people give so freely of both their time and their money to support and help raise funds and awareness for cancer research and support the residents of the Northwest Territories who have cancer. In Yellowknife alone, as in other areas of the Northwest Territories, there are events such as the Run for the Cure, the Terry Fox Run, the NWT Cancer Society has Daffodil Days, Sunshine Festival, Relay for Life. I can’t even count the number of individuals who I’ve seen who have donated their hair or shaved their heads to raise money for cancer. We have a great Territory full of great people and I think those individuals who go out of their way to do these fundraising events also need to be applauded and congratulated for all of their hard work.
Soon, Thursday -- tomorrow -- there’s going to be another fundraising event; it’s Babes for Breasts. Babes for Breasts is a collective of female singer/songwriters taking on the human side of breast cancer one song at a time by volunteering their voices and skills to raise awareness and funds. Proceeds are donated to local and regional charities in each city, helping women and men who are living with breast cancer, from diagnosis to remission and beyond. This event tomorrow night includes artists such as Leela Gilday and Tanya Tagaq-Gillis as well as individuals from Ottawa, Ana Miura and Amanda Rheaume, as well as a wonderful artist from Edmonton, Ann Vriend.
There are two reasons that this is important and this is a great event. The first is that the money is going to go to cancer research. The second is great, great music. So I encourage everybody, if you have time, go out and enjoy the music and help raise money for cancer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
