Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to draw attention to a very important week being celebrated from June 1st to June 7th, that being Seniors' Week. Mr. Speaker, our seniors are to be honoured not just during Seniors Week, but all year long. I feel strongly that senior citizens' contributions to our communities cannot be measured.

Mr. Speaker, our seniors are a collective force that cannot be ignored or forgotten about by this government. By the year 2018, the seniors' population is projected to at least double in the Northwest Territories. The Hay River Seniors' Society, Mr. Speaker, recently held their election of officers, and I am pleased to recognize the new executive here today. Mr. Speaker, Lloyd Brunes is the president; Allan Eirikson, vice-president; Ross Ullathorne, treasurer; Betty Robinson, secretary; and the directors are Peter Osted, Del Hamilton, Ron Douglas, Alvin Armstrong, Paul Rose, Chris Robinson and Fred Beaulieu.

Mr. Speaker, the Hay River Seniors' Society has been diligently working on seeing their dream of a new seniors' residence completed. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing to work with the Hay River Seniors' Society on this very important project.

I would also like to say, Mr. Speaker, that I've had the pleasure of attending the Respect Our Elders workshop on March 25th and 26th in Hay River, that was put on by the NWT Seniors' Society. It was an excellent workshop and it was very informative.

It is also very encouraging, Mr. Speaker, to see seniors taking a very active role in matters that affect them, such as elder abuse and their role in society. As the president of the National Advisory Council on Aging, Mrs. Rayburn, so rightly put it, we must take care of our future as we are going to spend the rest of our lives there. As our honourable Minister put it, most of us in this House have an interest in how that future is secured, as most of us are fast approaching the age where we will be joining the seniors' ranks.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Seniors' Week, I would like to state that I intend to continue to bring up issues in this House that affect our seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause