Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just earlier today in the Great Hall, we had the honour of recognizing and swearing in the new Deputy Commissioner for the Northwest Territories, Mr. Cal Mains. For the record, to be preserved in Hansard, I would like to read some excerpts from the Commissioner's presentation into the record today.
Cal Mains has been in the North since 1950 when he first arrived as a young RCMP officer to serve in the community of Aklavik. He served the Northwest Territories communities of Herschel Island, Tuktoyaktuk and Fort Smith and was also posted for a time in the Yukon before retiring as NCO, staff sergeant in 1969.
At a time in the history of the North when RCMP officers were called upon to be much more than police officials, Mr. Cal Mains embraced his role not only as a peace officer but as a community leader, a teacher, a conciliator and most especially, a friend to the many people he met along the way.
Following his 19-year career with the RCMP in the North, Mr. Mains worked in Yellowknife as the deputy clerk of the Supreme Court and then moved to Hay River to work with the GNWT Department of Public Works and Services and later the magistrate court. He retired for the second time in 1987.
Mr. Mains and his wife of 48 years, Alice, have remained residents of Hay River ever since. In everything he has done, Mr. Mains has always maintained an active interest in the community and this has included during the time of his retirement. To this day, he is an active member of the Hay River Seniors Society and the Hay River legion and is a second world war veteran.
His experience and commitment to the North and dedication to public embody those qualities and traits that are common to so many Northerners and make us proud to be Northerners.
I think it is extremely appropriate that Mr. Mains will once again serve the people of the Northwest Territories when required to do so as Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. It is appropriate because serving the North and its people is something that Mr. Mains has done from his heart ever since he came to the North over 50 years ago.
It is particularly my pleasure to recognize Cal Mains today as the new Deputy Commissioner. He is a constituent of my riding in Hay River South and I was pleased to have nominated him for this position. I think he will be a very worthy Deputy Commissioner. Thank you.
-- Applause