Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to share with you a success story from the Nahendeh riding. 18 years ago, the business arm of the Acho Dene Koe First Nation, Fort Simpson Metis Nation, Nahanni Butte Dene Band, and Sambaa K'e First Nation came together to form Dehcho Regional Helicopters. The core of a business plan was to secure, with their operating partner Great Slave Helicopters, the contract for the helicopter services that supported the Fort Simpson fire base. It is a source of pride for the Dehcho Regional Helicopters Limited partners that every summer, since its founding, the company has played a part in managing wildfires and protecting the communities and cabins of their members from these fires.
In 2008, the company acquired its first helicopter, an ASTAR 350 B2, which its call sign was DCV. That helicopter has been dedicated to forestry contracts based out of Fort Simpson each summer.
In 2010, the partnership extended to include the economic arms of the Liidlii Kue First Nation and Pehdzeh Ki First Nation. The expansion united all seven First Nation and Metis Nations in the Nahendeh region in the business. Their business model and their commitment to each of the seven limited partners have contributed to this company's success.
This past spring, Dehcho Regional Helicopters acquired a second helicopter, an ASTAR 350 B3, named after the company with the call sign DRH, a helicopter which you might have noticed flying around the city because it's bright orange, has already worked at Diavik during drill moves outside of Yellowknife this past summer supporting fire crews in the mining sector in Saskatchewan.
As the only 100 percent Indigenousowned helicopter company in the territory, Dehcho Regional Helicopters and its limited partners are committed to increasing Indigenous participation in leadership in the aviation industry. The company offered three different types of scholarships each year. In 2020, and again in 2021, the company was pleased to award $30,000 to fixedwing or helicopter pilot scholarships to two students from Fort Simpson who were studying aviation management program at SubArctic Leadership Training College in Fort Smith.
Dehcho Regional Helicopters, which is looking forward to celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, as an Indigenous business success story. Please join me in congratulating them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
