Mr. Speaker, today's statement is a gentle reminder of why we serve and to whom we serve as privileged Members of this, the 18^th Legislative Assembly.

Each of us in this Assembly have each been entrusted with a grave responsibility, accountable to our individual constituents, the ones that voted each of us into our respective privileged and humbled positions to serve all Northerners.

The positions of MLAs, Cabinet Ministers, Speaker of the House, and Premier reach far beyond our constituents. We also serve each other.

Yet, let us not forget the most important One to whom we are ultimately responsible and accountable, the Lord, our Creator, to serve with personal integrity, compassion, kindness, ethical professionalism, as well as gentle mindfulness, humility, and dedication.

We each need to be reminded of this because of the frailty of our human nature and the very essence of what it means to be human.

We each struggle and are challenged with personal and professional dilemmas. However, let us not allow these struggles to define our character, instead how we rise above them and resolve them be the mark we strive for, collectively, working together, not against one another.

Indeed, there is strength in numbers. May we each embrace our appreciation for one another and cultivate and nurture our professional relationships as examples of honesty, integrity, commitment and passion, inspiration and empowerment to those we serve.

I humbly and gently remind each of you, along with myself, to take time for personal and professional self-care as and when required. Personal awareness and reflection is the doorway to effective and efficient leadership. This perspective and mindset reminds us not to allow our egos to take the lead but let our professional integrity be the lighthouse which illuminates each and every decision that affects each resident of the Northwest Territories.

Let us not lead with selfish intent and motivations, but rather let us lead with the greater good for one another and for those with whom we serve, always and forever at the forefront of the position we have been gifted as Members of the 18^th Legislative Assembly.

In closing, I would like to quote Maya Angelou: I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.