Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to reflect on the actions of last week in which there was a motion put to the floor of the House to remove the Cabinet Minister. While I am six months into my term as a rookie MLA and still learning the ropes as to procedures in the House, procedures for committee meetings, procedures for dealing with Cabinet Ministers, and a host of other procedures, policies, regulations, and legislative acts, Mr. Speaker, of course I am not new to the political arena, having served terms on local government counsels, the Dene Band, and hamlet councils, but nothing can prepare you for life in the big House. This arena has one collaborating with colleagues from all the regions of the Northwest Territories on a host of issues affecting their respective ridings. One thing is for sure: we even agree to disagree. At times, frustrations and anger take the place of common sense. Perhaps it's the pressure of knowing that the whole of the Northwest Territories is watching our every move. Are we going to be rock stars and solve all our territorial problems overnight? Or, failing that, perhaps we can take it out on a Minister or two, or three, or four.

I shared with my colleagues an event in my past life while attending the Deh Cho First Nations assemblies during the summers. At the beginning of the assemblies, there's a fire feeding ceremony. The significance of the fire feeding ceremony is the release of unhappy memories, fears, negative emotions, anger, and anything that you are holding onto that doesn't serve you well. Fire also keeps you warm. The event that I recall is an elderly Dene woman speaking before feeding the fire to tell all the leaders that they should not fight amongst each other. "You have work to do for your people." Those are powerful words spoken by an elderly Dene woman, especially in that setting, the fire feeding ceremony. Perhaps we need to adopt more of the Dene culture and traditional practices here in the territory.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke to two Dene women who broke the glass ceiling effect in their bids for top leadership positions. They both do not have an easy ride in their roles but are strong in their convictions and will not be bullied. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted