Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to echo the thoughts of Mr. Braden and recognize a group of individuals in our community.

This group, Mr. Speaker, is the St. Patrick's High School Students Against Drinking and Driving, commonly known as SADD. This dedicated group of students, staff and community members has been very active since 1994, promoting healthy choices for students to make in their lives. The chapter was originally formed by Mr. Johnnie Bowden, the current principal of St. Pat's who was the vice-principal at the time, and Ms. Michelle Thoms, who is still active as the SADD advisor for St. Pat's.

This group is a small but vocal partner to national and international organizations as well. They have steadily grown in numbers since their formation and now have 60 active members in the St. Patrick High School SADD chapter, but consider the entire student body as members.

Events have been initiated and hosted for students which offer alternative activities to drinking and other negative influences our youth face in their everyday lives.

Mr. Speaker, there are other chapters in Yellowknife at Sir John Franklin High School, École St. Joseph and Weledeh Catholic School. Recent interest to start their own chapters has come from northern communities such as Hay River, Fort Simpson, Rae, Fort Smith and Fort Liard.

Next week, 38 representatives of this chapter will be going to Edmonton to attend the 10th Annual Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving Conference. This conference will bring together over 1,000 delegates and presenters from across Canada who will attend workshops and gain valuable knowledge and experiences to reaffirm their positive life choices.

I would like to point out that the students who are attending this conference from Yellowknife have had to work their way towards attending the event. Through various fundraising events, the students have had to raise approximately $900 each to attend the conference. I am pleased to say that this group has taken the challenge to pay their way without any government funding. This is no small task, Mr. Speaker, especially for students to undertake.

In closing, I would like to ask my fellow Members to join me in a show of support for the students, staff and delegates who will be attending the conference next week in Edmonton and wish them well in the various activities they will be participating in. I am sure, Mr. Speaker, we will be hearing a lot more from this group over the next year as they work towards their preparations to host the next national conference here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause