Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on February 25th, Home Base Yellowknife hosted the Coldest Night of the Year, inviting residents to walk in the shoes of those experiencing homelessness in Canada's frigid winters. The walk began at Home Base's downtown youth centre and was followed by a hot chili supper cooked by Yellowknife city councillors Steve Payne and Ben Hendricksen.
Several community Members came out, not only to walk and raise funds, but also as volunteers to register walkers, as safety personnel or, as was my task, to run and bid on the silent auction. The Coldest Night of the Year is a day each year when tens of thousands of Canadians step outside the warmth and comfort of their homes to shine a light of welcome and compassion in their communities.
Since 2011, the Coldest Night of the Year has raised over $57 million across Canada in 166 communities with 100 percent of net proceeds remaining local to support CNOY charity partners. Sponsors of this year's walk included Signed, Canadian Tire, Nicole Loubert Art, Old Town Glassworks, Tim Horton's, Quality Furniture, NWT Brewing Company, and 100 True North FM, as well as some of my fellow Yellowknife MLAs.
Mr Speaker, luckily for those walking on the 25th, it turned out to be one of the warmest evenings we had in February, sitting at a balmy minus 11. Unfortunately, that luck rarely extends to those Members of our society who have the misfortune of trying to survive on our streets in some of the toughest climatic conditions experienced in Canada, and for the longest duration.
Mr. Speaker, with a lack of adequate housing, lack of services, lack of shelters, we are only seeing more and more people experiencing homelessness. And more and more, these people are the working poor of our society single parents, youth aging out of the system, elders, and those with disabilities, are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet resulting in further debt. It is only a matter of time before they are unable to keep up with their bills and find themselves the recipient of a dreaded eviction notice. And Mr. Speaker, once a person starts to fall down the financial mountain there is nothing to stop their slide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
