Thank you, Madam Groenewegen. Good afternoon. On behalf of the Honourable Sam Gargan, the Speaker, I would like to welcome to the Legislative Assembly today three of the four surviving carvers who worked on the original mace, Lukta Qiatsuk, Kovianaktuliak Parr and Ashevak Ezekiel from Cape Dorset. Unfortunately, Oshawetuk Ipeelie is not with us today. I would also like to recognize and welcome Madelaine Canadien and Mary Agnes Matto-Bonnetrouge of Fort Providence who made the quillwork for the replica mace.
As you know the mace represents the legislative authority of the House and without it we would not be able to pass any laws. The original mace was made in 1955 by nine carvers from Cape Dorset. As many of you may know Mr. Gargan travelled to Cape Dorset last month with the Honourable Goo Arlooktoo to commemorate the excellent work that carvers from Cape Dorset did on the original mace. While there, Mr. Gargan discovered that the four surviving carvers had never seen the completed mace so he invited them to Yellowknife to see the fruits of their labour. As you can see, the original mace is on display here today in the Assembly for the first time in many years. It is indeed a work of art and reflects the talent that exists in many of our northern communities.
Equally important is the work of those northerners involved with the replica mace, the one that we use in the Legislative Assembly today. Madelaine Canadien and Mary Agnes Matto-Bonnetrouge were both part of that project.
Mr. Gargan has recommended that this mace should be retired in 1999 when division occurs and that a new mace be made for Nunavut and one for the western territory. If new maces are made for each territory I encourage all northerners to get involved in making maces that truly reflect their culture, people and region. Thank you.
-- Applause
Welcome to the Assembly. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Antoine.