Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yesterday, Madam Speaker, my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre spoke about the opening of an office in Rankin Inlet by News/North. Madam Speaker, the reporter who has been assigned to the Keewatin beat is well-known to Members of this House. She has covered the Legislative Assembly for the News/North for the past several years and sits just above us in the press gallery during these sessions. Although I am sure
she will enjoy her new assignment in the Keewatin, I am sure she will be missed by all of us here at the Assembly.
Madam Speaker, Mr. Lewis spoke about how he was sure that a good investigative reporter -- which certainly describes our friend in the press gallery -- would have a great deal of news to report in Keewatin. However, as Mr. Lewis I am sure is aware, the news being created comes from the dynamic, aggressive and oppressive...
---Laughter
...I mean progressive...
---Laughter
...Keewatin. Politicians in the Keewatin take their marching orders from the people who elect them. If they don't, then we all know what happens at election time.
Madam Speaker, because I have lived in Nunavut and Keewatin for the past 30 years and knowing the nature of the people there, I can assure you that the News/North will have no dearth of good stories to report on.
Madam Speaker, I cannot stress how important it is for newspapers to take a more proactive approach and cover more of our communities and regions. It is long overdue. I would like to commend the publishers of News/North for taking this bold initiative.
Finally, Madam Speaker, it is my understanding that the News/North will be publishing their Keewatin paper in both English and Inuktitut. I would like to congratulate them for recognizing the importance of language in the north and by publishing both languages, thereby ensuring that this service is available to all people in the Keewatin and eastern Arctic. Thank you.
---Applause