(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have lost an elder in the past three weeks. His name is Harry Simpson. He's originally from Gameti. He was the last surviving member of the elders negotiation team that settled our Tlicho land claim.
Mr. Speaker, as one of the four elder advisors of the Tlicho Nation, Simpson spent the better part of his life working on the Tlicho Agreement. One of Mr. Simpson's greatest accomplishments was setting up the annual trail of our ancestors' canoe trips, where elders and youth would travel together to celebrate their traditional lifestyles. Simpson started the canoe journeys in 1995 and now over 240 people attend the trip annually.
Mr. Simpson also promoted his culture with Gameti Ko Society, promoting Tlicho culture and traditional knowledge involving youth and elders, which was created in 2003.
In 2005, he helped build a traditional Tlicho cabin in Gameti using the knowledge his father taught him. (Translation ends)
Mr. Harry Simpson was a prominent elder originally from Gameti. He was the last surviving member of the elders negotiating team that settled our Tlicho Land Claim and Self-Government Agreement.
Mr. Speaker, as one of the four elder advisors of the Tlicho Nation, Simpson spent the better part of his life working on the Tlicho Agreement, and his dreams were realized with the ratification of the Tlicho Agreement in June of 2003. Mr. Speaker, one of Mr. Simpson's greatest accomplishments was setting up the annual trail of our ancestors' canoe journeys, where elders and youth would travel together to celebrate their traditional lifestyles. Simpson started the canoe journeys in 1995 and now over 240 people attend the trip annually. The tradition still continues to thrive today.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Simpson also promoted the cultural way of life with Gameti Ko, a society promoting Tlicho culture and traditional knowledge involving youth and elders, which was created in 2003.
In 2005, he helped build a traditional Tlicho cabin in Gameti using the knowledge he got from his grandfather.
Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho Nation will sadly miss Mr. Simpson, but in order to move forward we must continue his legacy of promoting our Dene culture and way of life.
He planted the seed and shared his knowledge. We must pass on the knowledge. Mahsi.
---Applause