Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour the passing of a well-known elder, Vedor Poncha -- Victor Boots -- of Willow River, at 90 years old. Vedor was the last of the Boots brothers who lived in the small community of Willow River along the Mackenzie, 70 kilometres south of Wrigley. The family has a long history of hunting and trapping and living throughout Wrigley, the Willow River area and in the mountains west of the Mackenzie River. Joa Boots, an older brother who died a few years ago, said from the time they were very young they built and lived in 18 different houses in the bush before they settled in Willow River. Vedor was a quiet, gentle man who stayed close to home looking after wood, water, snare lines and generally doing chores around the house. In the last year, up until his death, he cared very much for his pets, Pusia, his cat, and two dogs.
Early in his life, once while he was visiting rabbit snares, he came upon a moose. He had only a 22 and one 22 short shell, Mr. Speaker. He shot the moose in the heart and ran home to get a bigger gun. When he returned, the moose was dead. So with a 22 short shell he killed a huge moose. So was life then tough, but simple. Today I'd like to send my blessings out to his family, his cousins and his loved ones that took care of him up until his passing. Mahsi cho.
---Applause