Sorry, Mr. McLeod, you hit the wrong words there. You were not careful enough. I just have to remind Members that you cannot speak in anticipation of a motion that is before the House, as you are aware. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

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...

Mr. Kakfwi, your time for Member's statement has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I talked to them about what it meant for me to look in the past when we say "restoring our families", because many of us come from homes where alcoholism and family violence and abuse has been present. There is a lot of pain if you look back for too long. The only way you can manage that is if you move into the last part of their theme, which is "rebuilding our future".

The only way you can live with yourself is if you do as these women have committed themselves to do day after day, year after year; work towards rebuilding, rebuilding our families and rebuilding our futures.

It was a good time and it was a healing time for myself to be present with all these people, which form 50 percent of the aboriginal population here in the Northwest Territories. Elder Katherine Mitchell from Inuvik came over and asked to sit with me and sat beside me for the entire evening. I wanted to acknowledge the incredible experience that I had on Friday night. That like our elders, women too look to people like myself and every Member of this Legislature to provide leadership and to carry their hopes and dreams for them because there is so much that we can do. Thank you very much. Mahsi.

-- Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you. Welcome, chiefs. The honourable Member for Weledeh, item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank everyone who is in the gallery, but particularly Chief Rick Edjericon, Chief Peter Liske and all of the other residents of Weledeh. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I had the honour of introducing Mr. Rob Tordiff and his wife, Sylvie. He is the president of the South Slave Metis Tribal Council. This week, I have the pleasure again of introducing and recognizing Mr. Rob Tordiff and his wife, Sylvie, but as well, the latest addition to their family, who looks pretty healthy. Looks like maybe a boy dressed in blue. I would like to welcome all three of them to the Assembly and wish them a long life and happiness.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a former colleague of this House and someone I had the opportunity to sit beside in the 13th Assembly, Mr. James Rabesca. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Robert Alexie, who is the executive director of the Gwich'in Land and Water Board and my constituency assistant, Renie Francis. I would also like to invite everybody to Fort McPherson on December 21st for their wedding.

-- Laughter

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of people I would like to recognize. I likely will not be able to recognize all of them, obviously, because I cannot see behind us. Doug Nelson, the manager of the Royal Bank here in Yellowknife; Pat McMahon, I saw her a moment ago; Don Yamkowy; Barb Bromley; Ruth Spence; and David Murphy is in the back there, the president of the NWTTA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is very, very moving to see everyone in the gallery. The ones I can recognize are Mr. Gord and Bernadette Stewart, very prominent businesspeople in the city of Yellowknife. I see Mr. Dave Connelly. I see Mr. Paul Smith, who lives in my riding. I see Don Yamkowy and Ms. Pat Mracek. I would like to recognize them for being here and to thank them for being here.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Along with everyone else, it is very gratifying to see everyone here. I would like to recognize someone else from the business community in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Joe McBryan, and I believe another former Member of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, Mr. James Wah-Shee.

-- Applause

Thank you. Yes, indeed, there are two former Members, Mr. Rabesca and Mr. Wah-Shee from former Assemblies. Welcome to the gallery, gentlemen. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.