[No English translation provided]

Friends and relatives, in my language, I have said that I am thankful to be here, and that we have been brought together to work together, and to do our work that we were meant to do.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, good afternoon.

I have just returned from Ottawa late last night, where my husband, Jim, and I had the honour of attending the Installation Ceremony for Canada's new Governor General, Her Excellency Julie Payette. As you may have heard on the news, her statement emphasized on science, and more importantly on teamwork. "We are all in this together."

Jim and I also had the opportunity to meet several of the provincial Lieutenant Governors, as well as the two territorial Commissioners from Nunavut and the Yukon.