Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. The third Monday in February each year is recognized across Canada as Heritage Day.
This year, the national theme is the celebration of "vernacular architecture" meaning those structures built by ordinary people, rather than by professionally trained architects. In the Northwest Territories, this term encompasses everything from the archaeological remains of tents in the forest and driftwood dwellings on the Arctic Coast, to still standing residential and commercial buildings built by people who arrived in the North more recently. These structures are a record of where we settle, where we grow, what we need, where we live, where we work, where we do business, where we learn and where we worship.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in partnership with the Government of Canada, is helping three communities recognize and conserve their historic and culturally important places.
In Aklavik, the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council and the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute are documenting the vernacular architecture of local cultural places.
In Tsiigehtchic, the Gwichya Gwich'in Council and the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute are working to recognize the history and architecture of Church Hill.
The Tulita Dene Band Council and the Fort Norman Historical and Heritage Society are preparing a conservation plan for the old Anglican Church of Tulita, a territorial historic site. The old Anglican Church of Tulita is one of the oldest standing buildings in the NWT. Its finally crafted dovetailed log structure is an excellent example of the vernacular building style of local craftsmen in the early 1880s.
The City of Yellowknife Heritage Committee is celebrating this year's Heritage Day theme concurrent with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Yellowknife becoming the capital. Yellowknife is well known for its home-built architecture. The heritage committee has organized an art show at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre featuring that aspect of Yellowknife's history and character. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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