Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and the many friends of Wayne McTaggart of Fort Norman.
Wayne McTaggart committed suicide a few days ago. A young man who has endured many personal tragedies and difficulties during his lifetime. Wayne had always taken a deep personal interest, in all the years I've known him, in advancing the political cause and fighting for the right and recognition of Metis people, and has done extensive work and has involved himself at great length with the development of the Dene/Metis comprehensive claim that took place during the early and late 1980s. He worked tirelessly for the Metis of his community and the Northwest Territories, and has served as a past executive of the Metis Nation.
More recently, he chaired the Sahtu Land Claim Ratification Committee. He was always seen to approach his work with a sense of commitment and a sense of humour. I must say, in spite of the incredibly difficult issues and conflicts that all of us have endured over the years in our work supporting the cause of Metis people, Dene people, Inuit and Inuvialuit, many of us have found sometimes a need to dip into inflicting upon each other some personal pain, some insults and sarcasm. I must say from a personal point of view, Mr. McTaggart was one person who has never, in every instance that I've dealt with him, done that to me. In spite of the differences we've had in the approach we want to take to the work, in spite of all his rough edges and his personal background he has never, in my recollection, taken to personalizing the differences that we've come up to on occasion.
He is one person that I know who I've worked with over the years who always conducted himself professionally in working out the many problems and issues that we had to tackle together.
I wish to let the Members know that I've been very, very shaken with the loss of this man. Thank you.