Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Minister’s statement, I will be tabling, this afternoon, “What We Heard: Report of the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy Advisory Panel.” Two members of the advisory panel are here with us this afternoon. Its chair is well known to all of us, a former Premier, Minister and deputy minister in our Assembly and government, Mr. Joe Handley, and beside Mr. Handley is Mr. Rory Campbell. Rory is a former deputy minister of Economic Development and also Agriculture and Foods for the Alberta government, certainly a very valuable member of the panel who provided the external perspective in the panel’s engagements on the strategy. Thank you.

I’d also like to recognize all the Education Hall of Fame inductees and all the other visitors that we have here in the gallery today. It’s good to have a crowd here today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize two constituents of Yellowknife South visiting here from William MacDonald School, Braden Helyar, student, and Mr. Paul McDonald, a teacher at William MacDonald. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of constituents from the Great Slave riding. First, Emily Gosselin, who is with us here as part of William MacDonald School, as well as Bill and Cindy Gilday.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to give a special welcome in the Legislature to my partner Lucyanne Kendo and her daughter Brittany Jewel Kendo. I’m proud to have you by my side and that you get the chance to see me here live. As well, a very big welcome to my daughter Diedra Villeneuve and her partner’s mother Donna Huntis, who is in the gallery as well. Last, but not least, a congratulations to Mr. Andy Norwegian on the Education Hall of Fame Award today. Mahsi cho.

Thank you. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am extremely blessed to have two schools in my riding, one of which is William MacDonald School, and I want to officially welcome everybody from William MacDonald here to the House and I hope you have a great tour. I have a number of students here from my riding and I’m very pleased to recognize Seth Casaway, Dawson Chwelos, Jaiyden Demeies,

Bryce Jeske, Brooke Pelley, Blair Russell, Paige St. Jean, Leah Thompson-Astels and Alliks Traverse.

I would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, if I didn’t recognize two of my former colleagues, Mr. Bill Gilday and Ms. Anne-Mieke Cameron, who I worked with a while ago, I won’t say a long time ago, but congratulations to them and to all the Education Hall of Fame recipients. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have quite a list of people to recognize in the gallery, so bear with me. First of all, I’d like to say congratulations to the Hall of Fame education recipients. From the Sahtu, Beverly Masuzumi. I’d like to congratulate her. She and I went to high school together and now she’s in the Hall of Fame and I’m in the hall of… Well, I can’t really say, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

And all the other deputies. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize former Premier Handley, the Canol hiker who did the whole 222 miles on the Canol hike. I’d also like to recognize Rory Campbell, also a member of the economic strategy team. Welcome to the Assembly.

I’d also like to recognize people from the Sahtu from the community of Deline, the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada. I’d like to recognize Paulina Roche, Phebie Kenny, Jimmy Dillon, Freda Taniton, Danny Bayha, David Modeste, Tommy Betsidea, Diane Andre, Gina Dolphus, Joanne Tutcho, Betty Tetso, Michael Neyelle, Andrew John Kenny, Frederick Kenny, Morris Neyelle, Raymond Tutcho, Leonard Kenny, Patricia Modeste, Leon Modeste, Christine Gaudet and Brian Gaudet. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome them to the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Brittany and Lucy Kendo from Tsiigehtchic. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize one of the William MacDonald students who I believe is a constituent in Yellowknife Centre. Alexia D’Astous MacDonald. I hope I said that correctly. Thank you for coming today.

I’d like to use the occasion to recognize a long-time friend, Terrance Courtorielle, up in the front there. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the Princess Alexandria School Grade 6 class, their teacher Jennifer Tweedie; their chaperones Terrance Coutorielle, Ken Cunningham and Colleen Cochrane; and the students. I’d just ask the students to stand up as your name is called. Your name is going into the record of Hansard, so your names will be here forever. Riella Bordey, Marcel Cayen, Hannah Courtorielle, Elli Rose Cunningham, Keisha Giroux, Jacob Harder, Kadin Hare, Zackary Horton, Ashley Lamalice, Carson Smith, Tori Blake, Carson Borchuk, Lisa Boutilier, Katesha Buggins, Shayla Buggins. I’d also like to recognize our new Education Hall of Famer Jill Taylor. Congratulations, Jill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s also my pleasure to welcome, for the 11

th year

in a row, the Grade 6 students from Hay River. I’d like to thank all that coordinate that, so today I’d like to recognize the other half of the group. Chaperones Rodger Blake, Sherryl White and Charlene Lafferty; and students Ira Cayen, Jayden King, Hunter Krushaar, Megan Kruger, Mathew Lafferty, Dustin Lamalice, Sierra Balsillie, Madison McPhee, Alicia Nadia-Hancock, Morgan Roach, Jimmy Roach, Trevor Sabourin, Bradyn Schofield, Ethan Schofield, Nickolas Zuwala, Taylor White. I would also like to add my congratulations to a very well-deserved recipient to the Education Hall of Fame today, Jill Taylor, who does many, many things in our community. That could be a Member’s statement unto itself.

I’d also like to recognize my constituency assistant from Hay River, Orlanda Patterson, and my constituency assistant from Yellowknife, Wendy Morgan. I’d also like to recognize Mr. Bouchard’s constituency assistant, who was very helpful in planning this trip, Myrtle Graham. Thank you.

I’d like to welcome all guests here in the gallery. Thank you for taking in our proceedings today. It’s always good to see a full house. I’d like to also welcome Debbie Gordon-Ruben in the House here as a former constituent of mine up in Nunakput. It’s always good to see people from home.

Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.