Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the pleasure of being invited into Mary Deneron's home during my last visit to Sambaa K'e. I would like to thank her for a great visit. I was very fortunate that her grandson was able translate for me. I would like to thank Dennis for coming in with me.

Mary Deneron was born between Sambaa K'e and Fort Liard to Baptiste and Anna Jumbo on July 16, 1931. She had nine other siblings: six brothers and three sisters. Mary remembers life being very hard. She had the responsibility to cut wood, bring it into the home, and check the fish nets year-round. As well, she looked after her three-member dog team.

Mary married Phillip Deneron and had two sons and one daughter. Her husband passed away 59 years ago, and she did not remarry.

When we talked about what she missed about the past, she had a lot, but she would say the things she missed most were:

• Her dad going out hunting and coming back with enough food for the whole family. He would share with others, too.
• Getting the furs ready for the market. Since there were no garbage bags in the past, they had to build birch bark boxes, sewing the basket together and using a combination of spruce gum and charcoal to seal the box to keep the fur dry.
• Spring and summertime making dried meat, whether it was fish or moose meat. In the fall time, they cached their food in the trees for the winter months.

She remembered, in the springtime, the elders and the men would go into Fort Simpson for supplies and, in the fall time, they would go into Fort Liard. Sometimes, the whole family would be able to go, and this was a very special treat.

Mary does not like to leave the community and said that she rarely did in the past. Recently she had to get a pacemaker, and she said that this was the longest two years of her life. She was told that she needed to be quiet and relax to help her recover. As much as she did not like to do that, she followed the doctor's orders, and now she leads an active life. She loves her freedom and being able to live in her own place.

When asked what she is happy about, she quickly responded: the fuel subsidy program offered by ECE. It helps that she does not have to get and cut her own wood. However, she is looking forward to the day her house will be fixed up by the Housing Corporation. I am pleased to say, with the new senior program, she is a step closer to getting her wish. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.