Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and congratulate one of my Range Lake constituents and a well-known personality within this Legislature, Ms. Lynda Sorensen, who was honoured by the Governor General on October 18th as one of five women in Canada to receive the 2001 Persons Case Award.
Mr. Speaker, today, with the equal rights of women enshrined in the constitution, it is difficult for us to fathom a time in Canadian history when our Supreme Court ruled that women were not to be included in the word "persons" for appointment to Senate. It took five determined women to take the case to the judicial committee of the Privy Council in order to obtain the self-evident judgment that women were indeed persons with all the rights and privileges under the law.
Named after this decision known as the Persons Case, with this award we celebrate not only the right of women to serve in Senate but the enormous contribution women make in all aspects of our nations work. For us in the North, Mr. Speaker, the Governor General has recognized Ms. Sorensen's contribution through her 25 years of distinguished public service, as the director of nursing at Stanton Hospital, a consumer advocate, the first woman MLA from Yellowknife and a tireless worker at every political campaign at all levels since the mid-70's.
From the time I saw her campaign poster on a telephone pole on Franklin Avenue back in 1979 as a 14-year-old girl, she has inspired me as a woman leader in so many ways. I know she has inspired many others into political participation, men as well as women, due to her energy, wisdom and conviction.
Her record of service demonstrates her unflinching commitment and respect for our political system for its important responsibility to serve all our citizens at all times with integrity and a sense of fairness.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, as the second woman MLA from Yellowknife, albeit 20 years later, it is with great pride and joy that I recognize her today as a great person, a mentor to political leaders, women and men, and a very deserving recipient of the Persons Case Award. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause