Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to personally thank the four MLAs who are leaving the public service at the end of this 18th Assembly.
The job as a political leader is a daunting one, which they all carried out with hard work, integrity, and were a good and faithful servant for their constituents and all the people in the Northwest Territories. Each person made an effort to make me feel welcomed and respected, providing good advice. Even if we disagreed, we walked away understanding each other's point of view. Three of the Members, I had the pleasure of knowing before coming into this House, and the other Member, I got to know really well during the 18th Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, the Member for Twin Lakes was my Minister when I worked for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. He has been a straight shooter, has a good sense of humour, and is a family man with strong beliefs. I have witnessed him at sporting events where the athletes and parents were excited to see him. He really cared. It is my understanding that he got into politics because of his family, and wanted to make a difference. He is now leaving because of his family, and wanting to make a difference in his grandchildren's lives.
The Member from Great Slave has always strived to be available, responsive, accountable, and compassionate. When his workload was high, he took the time to meet in person or by phone to hear my concerns and issues, including some early-morning phone calls. He was always eager to join me in Nahendeh to participate in constituency tours and community meetings. His preference was to allow the Health and Social Services system to respond and resolve issues raised by me, but he also understood and respected my needs to be involved.
The Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh is the person I have known the longest. I grew up with some of his family members in Hay River. I was lucky to have him as a mentor and a friend during my first four years as an MLA. His passion for small communities has been made very clear during his 12 years as an MLA. I greatly appreciate his knowledge of the NWT family history.
Finally, I would like to recognize the Member from Boot Lake. I have had the honour of working with this individual in a number of capacities. I worked with him for years when he worked for Health, Municipal and Community Affairs, and most recently in the 18th Assembly. I would like to thank him for his frankness, recommendations, and honesty when working with me. He came into the Legislative Assembly with the goal of building relationships and creating partnerships in order to work on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories, and he leaves at the end of this Assembly knowing that he has accomplished this goal.
From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank them for all that they have done, and I wish them all the best in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause