Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday, the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories began their annual meeting, which I attended. As the Member for Sahtu, I wanted to comment about the occasion.

The theme was "restoring our families and rebuilding our future." Mr. Speaker, women from the Inuvialuit communities, from the Gwich'in, from the Sahtu, the Deh Cho, the Dogrib communities, the Akaitcho, Metis women and women from across this country and the Northwest Territories gathered to talk about their concerns and their issues. There was food, some tears and a lot of laughter. There was some sadness. There was reading of poetry and some singing, There was some dancing and, Mr. Speaker, I had the occasion to dance with every president of the Women's Association from its inception until today.

There were gifts. There was a fashion show and there were awards. Each of them took time to recognize in each of their communities and in their regions those women who continue to reach out to help others, to help their colleagues, to help their families, their relatives, the women and children and the elders around them.

Gathered there were healers and caregivers, leaders, chiefs, businesswomen, and the youth. Gifts of tobacco and eagle feathers were given. They commented that in the course of our work in the North in our communities over the years, it is clearly evident that our women have suffered, our women have...