Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the grandfather of northern aviation, the late Mike Zubko, former resident of the Mackenzie Delta, Aklavik and Inuvik. This weekend, Mr. Speaker, Mike Zubko was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in Halifax.

He started his career in the North in 1942 with Canadian Pacific, flying into remote communities in the Northwest Territories and the Beaufort-Delta. In 1947, with experience as a mechanic and pilot, he started his own business based out of Aklavik, called Aklavik Flying Service. With a single engine, two-seater aircraft, he flew out of Aklavik, which was the only scheduled aircraft for year-round service. Previously the only service was through Canadian Pacific.

Mike Zubko changed the history of northern aviation. He was the first to offer service north of the Arctic Circle, even though that meant venturing into unmapped territory with no technical or communication support services.

Mike Zubko saved the lives of many people across the North, by providing the first northern medevac service that became essential during the late 1940s with the measles epidemic. In the 1950s, Dawn Smith was the first nurse to be posted in Fort McPherson, and later married Mike Zubko and raised six children. They later moved to Inuvik and Aklavik.

Mike Zubko was highly respected throughout the region and he will always be known for his kind-heartedness. He played a key role in putting Inuvik on the map, and in 1959 the town opened its first airport which is now known as the Mike Zubko Air Terminal, which is greatly recognized by such a distinguished person.

Fifty years later, his son Tom joined his father in the aviation field, and they worked together until Mike retired in 1985. After retiring, Mike Zubko remained grounded to the aviation field. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.