Thank you, Madam Speaker, Members of the Legislative Assembly. Today, across the country, people participated in a sobriety walk to draw attention to the problems of substance abuse. Today starts Alcohol Awareness Week, which will be highlighted by the walks and followed by meetings, displays -- such as the one found out in our great hall -- talks, luncheons and entertainment. The walk draws attention to the enormity of the problem of alcohol and drug dependency and the effects it has on our community.

This year, awareness week will focus on the family. The family is the pivotal point in our lives and it is the family who suffers the most because of drug dependency of its members. But, it is also the family who, working together, can turn this thing around.

Awareness week will draw attention to the enormous amount of valuable resources used in the fight against substance abuse; the thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of work by volunteers and by an army of dedicated workers. It is the workers who deserve our appreciation and awareness, not only this week, but every week until this problem is beaten. They are among the least paid and hardest working. They deserve our thanks.

At the Yellowknife walk, dozens of young persons participated in the walk to the Tree of Peace building and heard from guest speakers over a lunch of caribou stew. They heard that there is an enormous problem. They heard also that it is everyone's problem: young, old, rich, poor, men, women and children are all in it together. They heard that there is awareness and they also heard that there is help available for those who want it.

Thelma Tees said it best, "There is a light in the window to guide us safely back. If we could turn it around little by little, slowly at first, but, we are winning the fight back. One person at a time, one day at a time, be positive and keep the circle strong." Today we try to make the public more aware. Thank you.

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