Mr. Speaker, our last area of responsibility blankets all other initiatives throughout our department. To help Northerners celebrate and demonstrate our culture and heritage including our languages, we have:
- increased support for creative arts projects and our support for northern performers and initiated, as a result of our arts panel response, the development of an integrated arts strategy;
- implemented the aboriginal languages strategy to set goals, objectives and implementation plans for meeting aboriginal language responsibilities; and,
- spearheaded the work required to form the GNWT Response to the Special Committee's Report on the Review of the Official Languages Act, a response that outlines approaches to supporting all the official languages of the Northwest Territories.
These are accomplishments of the department, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to stress that they would not have been possible without the direction provided by Members. The questions, suggestions, criticisms and general input of Members, whether in the House, or in standing or special committee have been invaluable in moving us towards these accomplishments.
Mr. Speaker, this is the last session in which I will have the honour of being the Minister of this department and a Member of this House. I can say unequivocally that I am proud of the many things we have accomplished.
I would like to thank all Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly, my staff who have assisted me throughout my past four years, officials in my department and throughout government, as well as all industry non-government organizations, aboriginal governments and community governments. Together, we have all helped to improve the quality of life for all Northerners. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause