Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently, I received an e-mail once again from my riding that someone has passed away in Fort Good Hope: Mr. Paul

Cotchilly. My prayers to Monique and to her family and to Paul's children and grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, the last couple of days I had the opportunity to sit with an elder. The elder was talking to me and giving me some insights into the recent loss of my mother and talking about the wisdom the elder has passed on from her parents in terms of helping us go through significant losses in people's lives. In the Northwest Territories, because we are a small population, these losses affect communities and even into the larger centres such as Yellowknife, Hay River or even Fort Smith. The importance of elders sitting with us and consoling us through stories and the meanings, and some the presence of them sitting with us to support us, because the Northwest Territories is small in population, but is huge in heart. When things happen to us in our communities, people really rally together and it really shows and brings out our humanity and helps us go through hard times, especially young children.

Mr. Speaker, recently I was also informed that Mr. Mike Kochon and Rita Kochon in Colville Lake lost a six-month-old baby in Colville Lake. Alfred Orlias and Cathy Kelly lost family in Fort Good Hope last weekend. My friend J.C. Catholique lost her daughter. So, Mr. Speaker, as leaders and politicians, we sometimes have these losses. It affects us greatly but we still do our work. I hope that the Department of Health and Social Services has some kind of programs for families that deal with loss and grief and issues for children and families, and put some programs there to help families go through some of their own losses in lives.

Our prayers are with them and all the other families who lost loved ones in the last year. Mahsi cho.

---Applause