Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, we return to this House for our first day of our regular spring session, but this is anything but regular. We have our seats six feet apart, and Brian has the measuring tape to prove it. We have become accustomed to following arrows, not only in the Legislative Assembly, but everywhere in public, it seems. We have been recommended to wear masks in public, and we cannot fly without one. Like I said, Mr. Speaker, this is anything but regular.
Mr. Speaker, when we left here after session on March 16th, things changed so fast. On March 18th, the public health emergency was declared. Our first case of COVID was diagnosed. Travel was restricted to non-residents. The education leaders across the territory closed the schools for the remainder of the year. Then, on my birthday, I got a state of emergency declared. All this within less than two weeks, but on April 1, 2020, it really hit home for me. Inuvik got its first and only case of COVID-19. I thought my phone was busy when the day the first case was announced, but when it arrived at home, it scared everyone. My community was afraid. They were angry. They wanted to know who it was. I tried my best to answer the questions, give them as much information as I could on how to keep themselves and their family safe.
I want to thank my community for staying safe by following the recommendations that were given by Dr. Kandola. I want to thank the groups of people who got together to help out those in isolation, elders, and high-risk. I want to thank the Indigenous groups and their staff in my community for continuing to provide food, gas, and supplies for families to get out on the land. This year, I saw so many families' pictures out on the land.
Thank you to all the essential workers who continued to work in Inuvik to provide the needed supplies, groceries, and services. Thank you to the Ministers who took my calls and emails and made quick decisions and policy changes to assist our residents. I hope we can continue to make those quick changes.
I also give my condolences to you, Mr. Speaker, you and your family on the loss of your father, and to the families of my community who lost loved ones during this time. Even having a funeral was not normal, but they managed to pay their respects as best they could, and celebrate the lives anyway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.