Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like today to join my colleagues, Ms. Lee and Mr. Braden, in recognizing the efforts of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I refer specifically to the October 6th Eleventh Annual CIBC Run for the Cure this year, Mr. Speaker -- good weather, great turn out. As Mr. Braden indicated. I think all of the local MLAs were in attendance and also present were the Premier, Minister Allen and a lot of staff from the building. Eight hundred and fifty participants in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, and an additional 200 in Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik, as well as Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet.
Mr. Speaker, indeed breast cancer affects all of our lives because it affects our mothers, our sisters, our daughters and our friends. An estimated 20,500 women in Canada will develop breast cancer in 2002, Mr. Speaker, and that is a seriously staggering number.
I would like to take this time, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the top fundraisers for this year's Run for the Cure. In the team challenge the Ecole St. Joseph School Huskies raised well over $7,000. In the women's challenge the Girl Power team raised over $6,000. In the community challenge the NWT Reps 2002 Team raised over $3,000 and we should be especially proud of the corporate team challenge, the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Speaker, raised over $11,000. We will have to make sure that the Assembly gives them a run for their money next year. The top two individual fundraisers in Yellowknife were Dale Sooley who raised $10,550 -- an amazing amount of money -- and Kathy Wind who raised $4,816.
Mr. Speaker, when you compare us to other jurisdictions and other cities of similar size, it really is amazing per capital the amount of money we raised. I think Ms. Lee said that the total is coming in near $200,000. That compares to cities like Regina that were under $200,000 or Kelowna in and around the same amount of money and that is really great to see, Mr. Speaker.
I think that because of the number of participants in this event, the number of volunteers and indeed the entire amount of money raised we can tell that this is a very important issue to all Northerners, so I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in thanking the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and all of the participants and volunteers who took part in this year's Run for the Cure. Thank you.
-- Applause