Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Volunteers play an essential role in Yellowknife as they do in all Northwest Territories communities. Recent surveys show that Northerners lead almost all other Canadians in the amount of volunteering they do. In 1999, 41 percent of Yellowknifers over the age of 15 participated in volunteer activity. The national average was 31 percent.
I was pleased to take part in the official launch of the International Year of Volunteers, which took place here in the Legislative Assembly in December. Several of the volunteers singled out for special recognition were Yellowknife residents. Among these, three were Cappy Elkin, Meryl Falconer and Ann Peters. They were recognized for their work with a number of activities and events, including the Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation, the Breast Cancer Awareness Program, Girl Guides, the Guild of Crafts and Folk on the Rocks.
I would also like to recognize a few of the volunteer organizations operating in my constituency of Yellowknife Centre. The individuals who volunteer for these organizations are, through their efforts, making Yellowknife a better place to live. The Yellowknife Women's Centre has just celebrated its tenth anniversary. It exists because a group of volunteers decided they would improve the situation for women in this city. They started out as a small, on-the-job training program in 1991 and continued to increase and improve services they were providing. Last year, they assisted approximately 400 families.
The Yellowknife Food Bank has been operating for a number of years, always relying completely on volunteers to deliver this service.
The Side Door is a no-cost hangout for youth in the Yellowknife downtown core. About 100 young people a week take advantage of the Side Door's activities that are geared specifically for them and find a listening ear when they need one. The Side Door is a volunteer board and also has volunteers working with youth and helping to manage the organization.
Mr. Speaker, there are many other organizations in Yellowknife which would not be able to carry out their mandates if it were not for the involvement of volunteers. There are many, many more volunteers that I could possibly name, but it is important and very appropriate that we show volunteers that we appreciate them because our society is greatly improved because of their efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause