Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Ministers can relax today. I have no report card for them. I am not going to make any profound statements on what has happened in the past and no profound statements on my visions for the future, and I don't wish to set any records for speaking. I do wish to make a statement acknowledging the many good things and the many good people, whom I have had the opportunity work with and the privilege of associating with during my short three years and eight months as an MLA.

Being an MLA, as has been mentioned by some of my colleagues, has been quite a learning experience. This is my first term and it is quite different from being a bureaucrat in the system. It has been a fun time, although there has been some down times. You learn to live and roll with the punches, and learn the art of compromise. There are many issues I have been involved with and I didn't win on every one; but, overall, the term, in my estimation, has been quite successful.

I would like to thank a lot of people who I have worked with. Most of all I would like to thank my fellow colleagues. All of you have been very good to work with on the standing committees, the special committees, our trips and we have had a lot of good times. We have done a lot of hard work. I would like to thank the staff, especially David, for his work and the corsages today. All the staff of the Assembly have been quite patient with us "new fellers." They gave us good guidance, pats on the backs or kicks in the rear-end when we needed it. It has been quite an experience working with knowledgeable people. I would also like to thank the interpreters. They work hard and long. On days like today, they get many speeches and it becomes a long day for them.

All the Ministers who have served this term, their deputies and staff, have also been quite helpful in working with the issues I have raised. It has been quite beneficial to the constituency I represent. I would like to thank those people for working out the issues and complaints.

I also would like to give special thanks to Roger Connelly, the regional director in Inuvik. He has been quite a dynamic fellow and has been very helpful in dealing with the issues people raise pertaining to all departments. I would like to thank all the staff in the Inuvik region. There have been several mayors in Inuvik during my term and they also have been quite helpful and we have worked well together. The chief and band council, the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council, especially Chief James Firth, who has been quite a good change for the community and band. He has developed the band into quite a dynamic force, not only in economics but in community and social events.

The chairpersons from the Inuvik Community Corporation and their directors, especially Dennie Lennie and Billy Day. They've been quite helpful and have worked hard to get issues raised, especially working closely with the town and the Gwich'in. All three groups have organized and have been able to work together to get a lot of projects under way that are being built in Inuvik. I would like to thank them.

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Gwich'in Tribal Council have also been very helpful in getting not only issues from Inuvik dealt with, but from the whole region. There are many organizations also in Inuvik that I've had the opportunity to work with and meet with. There are too many to mention, but I would like to thank them all.

As with most MLAs, we all came into this job with different priorities that we promised to work on, and there are a few that I would like to mention. The key one is the construction of the new recreation complex in Inuvik. I'm glad to say that a foundation has been laid and they are starting to build it now. There's an active fund-raising committee in place and I wish them well. The visitor's centre is now open, the ribbons were cut several weeks ago and that's another major piece of infrastructure that's going to be very helpful for the tourism industry in that region. I wish the tourism industry well in their endeavours. There are changes, as we are all aware, not only in tourism but in all activities related to government. That is going to have an effect on the industry in the west and how they operate, and I wish the operators in the region well, this year and in the future.

The group home for handicapped adults is now under construction and, if all goes well, we will be cutting the ribbon for that some time this fall. Another project which I've worked on with the community and the Arctic College board and staff was to enhance the programs and the role of the college in the region. I would like to thank the Minister for his work in getting the college back up to where it should be, to the point today where the classrooms and residences are all overflowing. They are running a lot of good programs, and I would like to thank the staff and the people involved with Arctic College. Incidentally, the term "Arctic College" has changed to Aurora College, which is the same name the campus holds, Aurora Campus, and I would just like to pass a message on to the Minister that a lot of people in Inuvik still believe the campus should be called Aurora Campus.

As I mentioned, I'm very encouraged by the cooperation of all the organizations in Inuvik that are working together. There has been a real change in how things get done. Special accolades should go to the Gwich'in, the Inuvialuit and the town for the work they've done together in promoting Inuvik and getting a lot of projects under way. Another group that's very active is the Inuvik interagency committee. It has involved all the health and social services groups in the town and has been very proactive in doing the work that's going on now.

I would also like to thank my various constituency workers. There have been a lot of them since my term and they've all had a role in the success that the town and myself have had in getting work done.

The people who were on my campaign team, I would like to thank them for the work they've done. And all the people of the Beaufort-Delta communities, they always have words of encouragement and urge you on to continue the work you do. The people of Inuvik, especially, have been very supportive in the type of work that's going on and I thank them for their encouragement.

In my travels across the north, I've met many people and I've mentioned in this House that since we're on TV now, people are able to watch the Legislature in action. Through the committee work we've done, we have travelled quite a few times to the communities and they watch the activities of the committee. They always have words of encouragement for us, in terms of what we're doing and how we do it.

I especially want to thank my family, my children Kevin, Jamie and Kerry; and, especially my wife, Lynda. They've had to put up with my antics and activities, especially the travel, but overall, they've been very patient and supportive of what I'm doing. I hope to see you all again in November. Thank you.

---Applause