Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to inform Members that Mr. Larry Elkin, President of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and the government's longest serving deputy minister, has informed us of his decision to retire from public service on January 4, of next year.

Mr. Elkin has served and strongly supported the interests of the Northwest Territories, in various capacities, over the past 30 years.

He joined our government in 1970, as the assistant regional director in Inuvik, after working with the federal government as a northern service officer in Ottawa, and then in the capacity of an area administrator in Coral Harbour and later, Rankin Inlet.

Mr. Elkin moved from Inuvik to Yellowknife in 1972 to become the chief of program policy and planning and, a year later, he became the director of planning and program evaluation.

He was appointed director of the Department of Local Government in 1976 and became deputy minister of Public Works in 1981, a position he held until assuming his current responsibilities in 1991.

Since joining the territorial government, Mr. Elkin has served many Ministers, Mr. Speaker, including myself.

I have always found him responsible and faithful to the goals and objectives established by the government and a person who always gave more than a fair share of his time and expertise to help solve many of the problems we have faced over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure Members will join me in thanking Mr. Elkin for his dedicated years of service and wish him and his wife a healthy and enjoyable retirement. Thank you.

---Applause