Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since we returned to the House at the beginning of this month, I have often shared stories of the challenges faced by Deh Cho communities calling on the government to fulfill its commitments to Northerners. There are stories of Deh Cho resiliency, Mr. Speaker, in our communities, innovations, and ambitions. Today, though, I want to celebrate another part of the Deh Cho: our sense of fun, our community spirit, and our celebration of tradition.

That's right: it is K'ambaa Carnival weekend. The K'ambaa Carnival has been held every year since 1984, Mr. Speaker, when Fred Martel Jr. and Diane and Paul Tourangeau organized their first one to celebrate the return of the sun and the season's first days of warming weather.

Since then, the carnival has continued to flourish. People from all over come to join the fun from Hay River, Fort Resolution, Fort Providence, and other Metis communities, even other provinces, including Alberta and Saskatchewan. It's something we all look forward to.

Last year, the K’atlodeeche K'ambaa Carnival committee, mostly women, even won the NWTs Outstanding Volunteer Group award. This year's fun and games will kick off the K’atlodeeche K'ambaa Carnival on March 1st at 5:00 p.m., and yes, Mr. Speaker, I have bought my tickets. Have you? That night, we will see our youth compete in the annual talent show, showing off their skills in jigging, singing, and fiddling.

Mr. Speaker, I'm sure to go over my time if I list all of and every activity planned for the carnival weekend. We can go with the most important: dog races, drum dances, pancake breakfast, hand games, raffles, a poker derby, a youth mini carnival, youth and adult outdoor events, you name it, the K'ambaa Carnival Committee has probably got it on offer. To see it all, you will just have to come out to the Hay River Reserve for yourself.

Please join me, Mr. Speaker, in thanking the volunteer committee and recreation coordinator Sharon Pekok for their hard work making this special event happen. I'll see you this weekend. Mahsi.