Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know if I could top that. Thank you very much for that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, thank you. No, I'm just thinking, you know, I've been in Aboriginal politics most of my life. I was on the other side of the table fighting the fights in the trenches for our people. On July 25th, 1900, my great grandfather signed a treaty along with Chief Drygeese, Chief Snuff for Treaty 8. And Mary Rose Sundberg that's here, she's the descendant of Chief Drygeese. And that's why they call this area Chief Drygeese Territory. And so I just want to reflect a little bit about how I ended up being here. And I always think back about my grandmother who always said, you know, you got to help people. Ever since as a child, that's what we've been doing. I often think about my uncles. At a very young age, they taught us how to work. You know, I remember my younger brother and I, we were outside, and he made a sled for us, and and a nice sled. And he told me, I bet you can't push your brother around. We were just little guys. So we did. And then the next thing he said oh, I bet you can't put wood in there and bring it over to the warehouse. Oh, no problem. Oh, man. Now, and then he says well, I bet you can't cut that wood on that sawhorse. Holy man, the next thing we were cutting wood. And now that was our job. And so we learned to work at a very young age growing up in Fort Resolution. So, you know, my grandparents had a big part of they were a big part of my life in terms of growing up and teaching us traditional values and being honest and work ethics, etcetera.
So our family in Fort Resolution is a big family. We come from a place called Buffalo River. It's, and our last name, if you look at it, if you the name that I have now, it was done by the Catholic Church, Edjericon. But when you look at it in the Chipewyan way, it's Jerthicon, you know. But when the transition happened, they couldn't spell it so they wrote it the way it is today. That's what you see here. So I just wanted to just mention that.
But, Mr. Speaker, you know, yeah, I've been involved in a lot of politics, and maybe that's why I am how I'm here today in terms of being so aggressive is that I was on the other side of the table fighting the fights. You know, I fought for housing, education, lot development, anything and everything you can think of, I was part of with YKDFN. And I had a privilege of working with really good chiefs there. And one thing we don't do enough is that, you know, we don't thank our chiefs. You know, when I left being a chief, you know, a few people came up to me and said thank you. But, you know, my colleague here talks about being here late and everything else. I been there, done that, the same thing. I've been up and working 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock in the morning. I'd negotiate three IBA agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars of mining industry, and but after a while, it's tiring. But today I just want to mention as well that, you know, we honoured Chief Eddie Sangris here today, which is good, because I've worked with Eddie, played hockey with Eddie. And they come from a long life a long line of chiefs in YKDFN, along with Jonas Sangris. And that family's pretty big. So it is good that you know, I just want to say to them that, you know, thank them for their service, and all of the councillors that do this. But I want to say this to all people up and down the Valley, mahsi to all the chiefs and council that and the elders that are no longer here. I've been to so many funerals and I think I been to two weddings in my lifetime. And I been to funerals all the time. And it's tiring. But, anyway, that's how we grow, and I'm starting to think I'm like an elder now, you know. But anyway, it's just it's that feeling when you say thank you. It's really good. And I know I just want to say that to all the chiefs and band councillors up and down the Valley.
And when I first got here and I walked across that door, I didn't know what I was getting into. I know when I was a chief, I used to come and meet with the Premier or Ministers and that kind of thing. We had good relationships. But back in the '90s and 2000s, we did a lot of good stuff for Dettah and N'dilo as well. And at that time, we were dealing with people like Premier Joe Hanley, you know, and he was our MLA. So it was a really good time. But today, you know, when I walk through these doors here, you know, I'm trying to understand how this whole institution works. And what I know is we got a $2.2 billion budget. We got $1.6 billion coming from Ottawa sorry, for the deficit that we're in, capped off at $1.8 billion. But 75 cents on the dollar comes from grants and contributions. And so essentially the financial situation we're in today, I could say that we're broke. It's how we have managed and moved forward. And so when we talk about consensus government, I'm still trying to deal with that because at YKDFN chief and council meeting we're in, we sit amongst ourselves around the table and we agree on a budget, and we you know, we have a good discussion and debate and finally agree on something. So to me, I thought that was consensus. But on this side when I come here, you know, then I we got Cabinet on that side. That's put there by the people in this Assembly. And sometimes, you know, I go home at night; I tell my wife that sometimes my hands are tied. You know, as much as I want to bring an issue forward for my constituent, then I bring it to the Minister, the Minister sends it to the deputy minister, and so on. And it goes back it comes back to me and he said oh well, you know, I'm sorry, the policy says this. You know, and that's disheartening for me because, you know, the issues in our community are real. Housing is real. Homeownership repairs are real. And I hear it today. And, you know, that's why when I come here, people may see me being very aggressive. But it's not about that, because I'm here to be their voice and convey what the issues are. And I know. I know all the issues at the local level. I've been there. At the regional level I've been there. You know, the Akaitcho spokesperson I was there. So coming here, it was really interesting for me but now that I understand how this whole institution works, and and how it functions is really interesting. But I had the privilege of working with really good people here. Good colleagues around the table. The staff here at the Legislative Assembly, really good. You know so anyway, I just kind of want to mention that. And I just want to say some thankyous.
First of all, my wife is here. She surprised me. I didn't think she was going to be here, you know, and for about four years, she's been working all over the country trying to you know, to work on her teacher education and get some experience and that. Now she's working on her masters, and she'll be done probably by next year this time. So anyway, my wife now, I had to relearn that I can't tell jokes or how to speak properly because she corrects me. So but, you know what, she what's been the biggest supporter for me. She's my rock, you know, and we like two stepping. But anyways, I just want to say thank you to my beautiful wife. I love you. I also want to say my son, who is in Saskatoon, his family, Kelsey, Adam, Kaiden, my grandson oh by the way, I got two dogs. One pug. His name is her name is Sophie. Anyway, her and I watch TV. We watch Men in Black. Oh and man, she just gets excited. But anyway, and we have another dog. A French dog, bulldog. A French bulldog. And her his name is Rocky. So anyway, honestly, when I get home after we come here by the time I leave here, by the time I get home is about 10 o'clock, and she'd be just barking at me saying where were you, what were you doing, how long were you gone for. So that's it's like that. But anyway, I just want to just thank my wife and my family and my motherinlaw, Dolly Simon in Fort Resolution, my sister, my auntie, my uncles, all my relations up and down the Valley. And in Fort Resolution, you know, the people there it's great to it's an honour to actually stand here today and say that you know, to serve them and to help where I can. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I don't drink or anything like that. You know, and when we're chiefs, the elders, they frown on that kind of thing. They're trying to guide you. So I'm here because of that. But, you know, I just want to thank the people in Lutselk'e, Dettah, N'dilo. And, jeez, it's been a long haul I guess, because, you know, it's like being chief all over again. Just 24/7. You think we go home at 8 o'clock and be done at five, but it doesn't work like that. And it's been tough. But, you know, when I go home, supper's ready. When my wife's doing her work, you know, I I cook. I clean. I do all that stuff. It's all because she's busy with her education. And I'm a big supporter of that.
So, Mr. Speaker, I just also want to say thank you to my CAs. When I first got here, I didn't know what the process was but I know is that, you know, I had the privilege of working with people like Shirley Tsetta on band councillor etcetera, and she worked for De Beers so she knows the industry side of it. So I've asked her, and it just so happens she was just laid off. So I picked her up and said come work with me. And she's been really good to me. Also, former Chief James Marlowe, he helped me out for a while. And in Fort Resolution, I have Warren Delorme and his wife Velma. They do so much for me. Whenever I'm going there and to Fort Resolution, they cook. They invite me to come over. When I go around through Fort Resolution and go visit the elders, they always say hey, we got soup on for you, or whatever. And we go there and eat. And if not, my motherinlaw does it all the time. You know, so that's really that's really good. And anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to all my constituent members for giving the support, especially the elders. This a few months ago we lost an elder Robert Sayine who was a Member of the MLA here, chief as well. And I'm going to miss him because he would phone me. Doesn't matter what time or night, he would say hey Rick, regarding this bill, this is what I think. Or he would give me advice. And I think he done that to Kevin as well, you know. And I really appreciate that but I'm going to miss him because, you know, his he's got a beautiful wife May and his whole family. You know, it's a big loss to our community. He had so much knowledge, you know. And he phoned me up one day and he said hey Rick, there's nobody on CBC Radio for Chipewyan hour. So we sent a letter to CBC and about a month later, we were up in the air. Oh, he was happy. It's because the network the elders have in the community, the elders would go to him and then he will come to me and visa versa. So I found that really interesting. So it's elders like that we're losing that, you know, I really it's a privilege and honour to know these elders that are there.
But anyway, again, I just want to say the other thing is when we meet here, you know, I've been to so many Dene Nation assemblies, Akaitcho assemblies, Tlicho assemblies, and we can't do it without the translators. You know, the translators here, I want to say thank you. Mahsi. You know, if it wasn't for you, you know, all this information here wouldn't get out there. So I just want to say thank you to each one of yous. And also the cooks, I know we have food brought to us sometimes and that. And I just want to say mahsi to them.
But most importantly, in my riding, you know, I just want to say thank you to Chief Louis Balsillie. You know, he calls me all the time and all kind of issues, especially during the evacuation. And it and also Chief James Marlowe, Lutselk'e Dene First Nation who was just recently elected. Chief Fred Sangris from N'dilo. And the new chief for Dettah Ernest Betsina. Also, I work with president Arthur Beck with the Fort Resolution Metis Council and the NWT Metis Nation Gary Bailey. So you know, I go to their assemblies. You know, we have good food. You know, we get to visit elders. It's great when I go to these assemblies. I feel grounded. Sometimes when I leave here, I something's off. But when I go home into the communities, I feel so grounded because when you go to the drum dance or go to have tea with elders, I feel good. But for me in the last few months, it's been really interesting because my colleague here, we talk about North Slave region and South Slave region but yet the Tu NedheWiilideh riding, we're mixed in with the North and South Slave region. Our funding that we get as a government is split into these areas. But yet, you know, I'm sitting here today as a Tu NedheWiilideh MLA. But the way it's set up in this system, it doesn't happen that way. So when we say that I get less than half a percent of $2.2 billion for my riding, but we're rolled into the North and South Slave region, so I'm hoping that will change shortly in the new future because we need to separate that because at the end of the day, once you do that, you going to see the real numbers, what is really spent in our communities. And I been saying all year, last year and a half, that small communities do matter. And we do.
Mr. Speaker, you know, we have claims in the North. We have selfgovernment agreements. They're all constitutionallyprotected land claim agreements. And in the last little while, and even this few days ago, my colleague Kevin had talked about constitutional reform. Well, in committee, when these guys the departments come here and they ask for more money, you know, and I go look at my budget book and everything else, every year consistently it's been going up. But really what's the benefit to my community I say? And so anyway, what I'm trying to say here is that the day is going to come when we really need to take a look how we're going to coexist here in the North with settled claims. How is this institution going to be looking like? In the early '80s, they had the Jim Bourke report. I think we need it's time now to really take a look at that. And as a new government coming in, that's something we're going to have to talk about.
Mr. Speaker, again, I just want to thank all my colleagues, my constituents, my CA, all the elders. I'd like to thank the Premier for your service, all the Cabinet for your service, all my colleagues for your service, and all the leaders here in the Northwest Territories for your service. I want to say mahsi.
I know that I'm probably not the easiest guy to work with, but you know what, I'm consistent and I'll follow up. But most importantly, Mr. Speaker, is that I just want to say thank you to you and your family as well. And, you know, it's a tough time, you know, for everybody in the last few months, and in and finally, we could breathe fresh air now, you know. But anyway, it's good that we're talking today and saying our last speeches here, and the work that we've done in our communities doesn't end. Just because we leave here, it doesn't end. So we will be working the phones. We will still be calling the department and all that stuff.
So Mr. Speaker, one more thing I was going to say is that one thing I was told never give a mike to a chief. But anyway, I just want to say that they have many people of Tu Nedhe community of Fort Resolution, I want to recognize the dedication, commitment, and efforts to help those in need during the fire evacuation this summer. The community of Fort Resolution was not designated an evacuation centre by the GNWT; however, the community of Fort Resolution hosted over 80 evacuees from the town of Fort Smith, the town of Hay River, Yellowknife, and they welcomed them into their homes. At Mission Island, they had cabins, the Four Season B&B, breakfasts, and the Beaulieu Hotel. During the fire evacuation, the community of Fort Resolution had no internet, no phone, no cell service for over a week. And thank you to Starlink for providing services, and they were good to us. Anyway, the community volunteers made several trips to High Level to purchase groceries and to ensure they had adequate gas and diesel supplies for the residents of Fort Resolution. During the fire evacuation, Chief Louis Balsillie, Deninu Kue First Nation, president Arthur Beck, Fort Resolution Metis Council, ran the culture camp for three weeks to provide food and traditional sorry, provide traditional food and activities to ease burden off the evacuees to distract them from the scary situation we were faced so they could would be welcome in the community during these difficult times for everybody in the community in the South Slave region. I just want to say thank you to the volunteers Chief Louis Balsillie, Carol Ann Chapman Jessica Sanderson, Brandon Beaulieu, Dolly Simon, Martina Jerome, Eddie and Dee Lepine, and they're all other communities residents who assisted by accommodating, feeding, and caring for their displaced families, members, and friends.
Mr. Speaker, the Fort Resolution Metis Council was also involved in the culture camp. Again, I want to thank John Delorme, Brandy Miersh, Alicia Sanderson, Archie Smith, Jaylyn Voice, Harlan Mandeville, Sheyda Lafferty, Kaden McNabb, Lyndon Beaulieu. I want to say thank you for your help during this difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just want to say oh, I'm just kidding, another two more minutes. But anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to all my colleagues and the staff, the pages, and it's an honour to be here to serve the people here in the Northwest Territories. And especially my wife and my family. Mahsi.
