Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a sad note. Gabe Cazon, one of our elders in Fort Simpson, passed away last week. I attended the funeral in Fort Simpson on Saturday. Gabe was a quiet man and very much respected among the Dene. He was 77 years old. He leaves behind his wife Marie, two sons, Gilbert and Michael, his daughters, Phoebe, Florene, and Jane, and numerous grandchildren.
He leaves behind a legacy among the Dene in the Deh Cho area. He was very much respected. I also have a great respect for this good and decent man who leaves behind an immense knowledge of his lifetime that he leaves with his family and grandchildren. He lived close to the land. He leaves his family and his land. He loved his family very much, and his land. He raised his family the best he could on the land. He also took many other people who were less fortunate with him in the summer time along the Mackenzie River and in the winter to his camp at Notonna Lake.
Mr. Speaker, as I reflect on the life of Gabe, I cannot help but think of all of the other elders who have passed away recently, not only in my communities, but in other communities. We are losing a lot of our elders. We are losing oral history and we are losing a good sense of good people as they pass away.
In my line of work, I meet many elders. As with Gabe Cazon, when I meet them, they always have a smile and always have good things to say. We know now in this life that we encounter daily hardships. When you are younger, you tend to complain about it. It is not good enough, and we make big issues out of it. The elders, they do not seem to reflect that. They have some goodness around them and they are happy to see you when you meet them.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for an extension in my Member's statement.