Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank you for saving the best for last.

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to publicly recognize Cameron Clement, president of NTCL, as the Northwest Territories Chamber of Commerce's Businessperson of the Year. Cameron is retiring from the NTCL later this year, so the timing of this award is even more appropriate.

Cameron has worked for NTCL for the past 32 years, and has been a full-time resident of Hay River for much of that time. He has held many different senior management positions with the company before being appointed vice-president in 1993. In 1995, Cameron was instrumental in relocating the head office for NTCL to Hay River from Edmonton. In 1996, he became president.

Under Cameron's leadership, NTCL has established itself as a prime contractor for resupply and delivery materials, including fuel to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut communities, as well as other circumpolar regions, including the north slope of Alaska.

Not only has Cameron made an outstanding contribution to NTCL, but he has also maintained a strong sense of community and commitment to local causes. He has ensured his company has been at the forefront in the sponsorship of community-based programs, including education, the HH Williams Hospital Foundation, the youth centre, sporting events including the Arctic Winter Games, the DARE Program, the food bank, the soup kitchen, Smart Communities and the development of community initiatives such as the Hay River Golf Club and the track and field facilities.

To those who know him, Cameron is a gentle and unassuming man, which belies the fact that many of us have had to bear the brunt of his combination of amazing wit and public speaking talent.

I am proud that Cameron's tremendous contribution to business in the North has been recognized, and I join in congratulating him for all of his achievements. I am pleased to take this opportunity to thank him for his consistent dedication to Hay River. Thank you.

-- Applause