Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about an Inuit hunter and trapper from Pond Inlet named Joseph Idlout. Mr. Idlout will be familiar to all Canadians. Along with Elijah Erkloo, a former Member of this House, he was one of the young Inuit hunters who was featured on the back of an old Canadian two dollar bill. Mr. Speaker, on January 6 of this year, I watched a television documentary, "Between Two Worlds", that detailed the life of Mr. Idlout from his early years in Pond Inlet to the time of his death in Resolute in 1968. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply touched by the struggle and the ultimate tragedy of his life. I decided at that time I would not speak about Mr. Idlout's life because I felt it may have been more appropriate for an Inuit Member to speak of one of their own.
However, Mr. Speaker, last week my father passed away in Fort Providence. At that time, I began to think once again of Mr. Idlout and of all northern aboriginal people, be it Inuit, Dene or Metis, of his or my father's generation. It was this generation of aboriginal people that had to bridge the gap between the traditional lifestyle and the modern world. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the adjustment came at a very dear price, not just in terms of human life but in the loss of dignity, identity, culture and tradition for people. It was leaders like Mr. Idlout and my father who struggled to keep our tradition and culture alive and well. Mr. Speaker, I personally would like to express my gratitude to this generation of our people. No one can truly measure what their struggle meant to my generation and future generations to come. Thank you.