Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to point out to the honourable Members of the House, the November 7th issue of News/North which has no less than five large photographs of the carvers from Baker Lake. Baker Lake has always been renowned for the creativity and skill of its artisans. When the artists started in the early 1960s, most of the Inuit in the area were still living on the land. A couple by the name of Jack and Sheila Butler, moved up to Baker Lake from London, Ontario. They worked with a number of Inuit who were creators of their own design; a people who are masters of their own crafts, with the abilities to building their own mobility, their homes, their own unique style of living in a harsh environment.

In this group was a person with the ability to carve and to be able to work with some of the carvers. He has had the opportunity to exhibit his skills in places such as the United States, Japan and many times over within Canada. A gentleman by the name of Paul Toolooktook was just that person who, in the last year, was able to bring carvers together and form the Ujaraqtatit Society. As the president of the society, he has been active in Baker Lake to acquire soapstone for the carvers and other such activities.

He recently succeeded in bringing a carver, one Mr. Iyaituk, for a two-week development workshop in Baker Lake. This workshop provided instruction on carving techniques with power tools. A number of the 19 course participants were first-time carvers. Workshops like this are invaluable in ensuring that the art making skills of Inuit are passed on to the next generation.

My congratulations and thanks to the sponsors of this workshop; the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Keewatin division, First Air and Air Inuit, who had the foresight to encourage the artisans of Baker Lake and I would like to add my own words of encouragement for the 19 carvers, who invested two weeks in improving their considerable artistic skills. Thank you, Madam Speaker.