Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Elders have been telling us that young people, especially, should be assisting those who need help. This kind of volunteer work will be even more important in the years to come, when government programs cannot go as far as everyone would like.
Mr. Speaker, Martha Flaherty, who is the president of Pauktuutit, the Inuit women's association, is Peter's sister. She and Peter are the oldest in the family of five girls and four boys. Martha told me that Peter and his family went through a lot of hardship when they were relocated from northern Quebec; in 1955, the same year Peter was born. Martha gives great credit to their father, Josephee, who died in 1984 and their mother, Rynie, for helping the family to survive during those hard times.
Ms. Flaherty also said that as president of Pauktuutit, she believes that it's about time that one of many people who are volunteering to take care of others in our communities are being recognized. She says that many of these volunteers are women who are doing very important work every day helping our government deal with social problems.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to join me in congratulating these many volunteers and today this outstanding constituent, an excellent role model and good example to all the people of the Northwest Territories: Mr. Peter Flaherty. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--- Applause