I am privileged to have the opportunity to give the opening prayer for this Assembly, as one who has served in the Assembly for a short period of time and coming back as a preacher, I guess. My title is on for about five minutes, and then I will be back to an ordinary citizen.
I have chosen to devote my prayer for the youth of the NWT. In fact, I ask you all to remember that you folks have the ability and the knowledge to pass laws, but you have to remember that you have to reflect the diverse groups of people that you are about to serve. You have to put aside your differences, but you've got to start thinking as a whole in order for it succeed.
After having said that, Honourable Speaker, Premier, and Cabinet, I would like to say a little prayer for our young people, as they are the future of the Northwest Territories. Some could be the future Members of council if they chose so.
I would like to call upon my youth, when I was young. I was an orphan in Aklavik and my mother died, but I was lucky to have a nun that was like my mother. She brought me up the first three years of my life, and then after that I was placed in school in Aklavik, where I learned how to pray. Whenever I'm in trouble, I'll grab my rosary that was hers; 150 years old, falling apart, but that's my strength.
Our youth have to find strength somewhere. It's supposed to come from their parents. I'm not saying anything else; it's the children who have to look up to their parents. If you can find it, I welcome you to extend your arm to people you know, your relatives, or someone you don't know, but you don't know that they love you. You've got to find it for yourself. If you find friends because they'll be more honest. They'll give you better guidance, but not forgetting their own parents' guidance.
I'm going to ask the father to bless each and every one of you, so that you could have good judgement, so that you could lead us to wherever our people go, so that you can speak together as one voice. We have many languages, but learn to speak in one voice. They'll get it somehow. My method is simple, but it's for the youth.
When I was having coffee this morning with my wife, up there, Beatrice, we had an argument, of course, but we mended. It's good to mend your arguments. This is from my youth. Respect your mother. Respect your father and your mother as I, the Lord your God, command you, and so that you may go well with you and so that you may live a long, long time in the land that I'm giving you. After that, you could relate to that message.
I pray in my heart for you people. You need it a lot. You could fall down, but have the courage to get up and try again. I fell down. I got booted out, but I found the strength to get up and try again. Don't be afraid to fall down. You're going to find your courage somehow. You've got to believe. You have to believe in God.
Then I will close my prayer by saying the Our Father. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. In the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.