Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to pay tribute to Glenda Comeau. She was born on May 1, 1951, in Ontario.
Glenda dedicated her career in the NWT to serve the RCMP. For the past 15 years, Glenda, as a public servant, was the first point of contact for many people coming into the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment. Regardless of the reason for needing the RCMP, Glenda was always kind, courteous, and professional.
Glenda's true commitment, however, was to the members. She went above and beyond the requirements of her position to ensure that the members were well taken care of. Officers who were posted to the Fort Simpson detachment were often pleasantly surprised to discover that she had gotten them all of the accessories that made it easier to do their jobs. She also made sure, to the delight of many, that the staff room was always well-stocked with snacks. In many ways, Glenda considered the members to be her children and acted like a mother figure for them.
Born and raised in Ontario, Glenda was working at a hotel in High Level, Alberta, as a receptionist when she answered a newspaper job posting for public servants for the RCMP. She started her career in the Inuvik detachment, where she spent five years.
In 2002, Glenda moved to Fort Simpson to fulfill the public servant position with the village detachment. Glenda was recognized many times during her career for her dedication and professionalism, including in 2007, when she received the Commanding Officer's Certificate of Appreciation. Prior to her retirement last year, Glenda was presented with a Long Service Certificate recognizing 20 years of dedicated service to the Government of Canada, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Certificate of Northern Services, which is awarded to recognize service in the NWT.
Although she had planned to spend her retirement in Ontario, Glenda found that she couldn't leave the North. After a few months in the South, she returned to Fort Simpson. Glenda passed away in the village on July 6, 2008. A memorial service, attended by her friends and some RCMP members that she had worked with over the years, was held in Fort Simpson on August 2nd. Glenda's professionalism and dedication to supporting the RCMP will be sadly missed by many.
Mr. Speaker, I have known Glenda since she moved to Fort Simpson, and like others, I will miss her smiling face, wise words of advice, and her humour. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.