Mr. Speaker, International Women's Day is a time when countries around the world, as well as the United Nations, celebrate the successes that women are making to improve the quality of life for all. It is a special time when we in the Northwest Territories look around and see who is making a difference in the lives of our families and in our communities. I want to say thank you and pay tribute to all the women of the Northwest Territories on this special day.
Later today we will be recognizing the recipients of the Wise Women Awards and give them special thanks for their leadership and the personal contributions they have made to better their communities. It is often said that women are the backbone of our communities. It is also because of women in our communities and their advocacy that we continue to see improvements in services for day care, social income support, family law and adoption, education, justice and many other programs.
We also know that there is still much to be done. The Social Agenda Working Group is an important initiative in this regard. There are a number of strong knowledgeable women and men from our communities working together to develop a framework on social issues and to help guide the decision-makers at all levels in making the North a better place in which to live and work.
This government has appointed Ministers responsible for Seniors, Youth, Disabilities, Homelessness and Family Violence. In many cases it is women and their organizations who have challenged our government to commit to working together to better understand and serve the people who have not been heard. Northern women continue to participate in the hundreds of boards and agencies across the Northwest Territories, wisely advising all of us to listen and to do what is right for the people of the...