Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the students and staff of Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik narrowly avoided tragedy when the roof of the foyer collapsed. As a parent of three children in the school and as MLA for the area, I am grateful that no one was injured. Since then, efforts have been focused on getting students back to class so that they are able to complete their school year. Although the subsequent fire in the gymnasium was a major setback, the timely response of the Inuvik fire department and the efforts of the school and education officials, government departments, and regulatory agencies and contractors have paid off. After a few short weeks, the school has re-opened and classes have once again resumed at the SHSS this week.
I would like to take the opportunity to convey my appreciation to all the people in the department and the agencies that pulled together to ensure that the situation was addressed so quickly and efficiently. In particular, I would like to thank the firefighters who assisted in containing the fire.
Mr. Speaker, a great deal remains to be done. As a parent and MLA, I commit to working together with all associated agencies and individuals to ensure that students and staff are safe, secure and able to continue with their learning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause