Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to congratulate the NWT's Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Hau Than Huynh. Hau and his wife April Tran are constituents of mine. They own and operate Arctic Jewellers in Centre Square Mall.

The Business Development Bank of Canada, which gives out the annual National Young Entrepreneur Awards, made an excellent choice when they decided to honour Hau because he is such a fine example to other young Northerners in the business world.

Hau comes from a family of jewellers with two aunts, an uncle, a cousin and a brother in the jewellery business. He began studying jewellery making with his cousin in Vietnam when he was still in school and only 14 years old.

He says he loved the work from the very beginning. He especially loves creating new designs. Hau says he finds Yellowknife a particularly exciting place to be a jeweller because of the Yellowknife gold and NWT diamonds with which he can work.

He started his business, Arctic Jewellers, in 1999, ten years after he emigrated to Canada and only a year after he came to Yellowknife just to visit. His business is doing very well, having doubled in size in the first year. He attributes his success to his hard work, skills and determination to solve any problem which arises. He is a goldsmith who designs and creates original jewellery and also repairs jewellery and watches right in his store. Hau says he was very surprised and, of course, thrilled to receive the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

His expenses to go to Edmonton for the presentation were covered by the Business Development Bank and his mentor, Fred Hunt, president of Nunasi Corporation, also assisted with travel assistance for his wife to attend the ceremony.

Hau says that this is an example of why he loves living and working in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to join me in congratulating Hau Than Huynh and his award. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause