Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate a constituent and long time family friend, Nunia Qanatsiaq, for her recent Minister's Literacy Award. Nunia is a single mom who began teaching as a classroom assistant in Hall Beach, during the mid '80s. She began taking Eastern Arctic Teaching Education Courses at Retap in 1989. She began working full time in the school, raising her two children, Jonah and Daryl. Nunia completed her Teaching Certificate and recently graduated with her Bachelor of Education from McGill University in Montreal. Nunia was the editor of the Arctic College student newspaper while attending the campus in Iqaluit and was involved with many after-school curricular activities. This mother is now helping to develop Inuktitut resource material while teaching at the college in Iqaluit. She also finds time to visit my wife and I on a regular basis to give lessons in Scrabble, which Nunia and my wife usually win.
I have known Nunia since she was 14 years old. I would like to congratulate this dedicated educator, mother and friend, for her work promoting Inuktitut literacy and her drive and determination through very trying times to complete her Bachelor of Education degree and the recent winning of the Minister's Literacy Award. I look forward to presenting the award in person to Nunia at the end of the month in Iqaluit when I return at the end of the session and standing committee meetings. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause