Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to commemorate one of my predecessors, the Honourable Paul Delorey, who passed away on New Year's Day earlier this year. Paul served Hay River as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, he served the Northwest Territories as the Speaker of the House, and he served the community as a prolific volunteer and outstanding citizen.
Paul was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1999, defeating six other candidates and earning the privilege of representing the newly created constituency of Hay River North. He was elected again in 2003, that time by acclamation, and for a final time in 2007. In 2011, he announced that he would not seek office again, retiring with a perfect 3-0 record. To this day, constituents tell me stories about the effort that Paul put into assisting them, sometimes hinting, I think, that I had better live up to the standard that he set.
In addition to serving his constituents, Paul served the entire territory as Speaker of this House in the 15th and 16th Legislative Assemblies. My colleagues who had the pleasure of working with Speaker Delorey have always spoken highly of his performance in that position, citing his character, his professionalism, and the seriousness with which he approached the role.
Mr. Speaker, the level of civility displayed in this House differentiates our Legislative Assembly from virtually all legislatures in Canada and, frankly, around the world. We pride ourselves on our Members' ability to have frank discussions and hold the government to account while maintaining respect for each other and upholding the dignity of this institution. It is no accident that we have been able to maintain this delicate balance. Speaker Delorey was keenly aware that his job was to maintain this balance for the sake of our territory, and he did so masterfully. This afforded him the respect of his fellow legislators, as well as Speakers across Canada, among whom he was universally admired. During his tenure, Speaker Delorey modelled to his eventual successors the qualities that a Speaker should possess and, in that way, our Assembly has continued to benefit from his work all these years later.
Speaker Delorey was also responsible for bringing the Legislative Assembly closer to the people of the NWT in a number of ways. Thanks to his efforts, the Legislative Assembly's television channel is one of only 14 channels that the CRTC requires cable and satellite providers to carry and include in all basic packages. This has allowed us to broadcast our proceedings across Canada and rebroadcast in a number of Indigenous languages, which is something no other jurisdiction can lay claim to.
Speaker Delorey introduced the Mace Tour, which brings the Mace, the Speaker, the Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and more to schools across the territory, to teach youth and communities about consensus government and the work of the Assembly. He also reinforced and greatly expanded the Page program and is responsible for ensuring that youth from all regions of the territory have the opportunity to come and work and learn in the Legislative Assembly. All these efforts fundamentally changed how the public understands and interacts with the Legislative Assembly.
Paul's contributions were by no means confined to his work as MLA or Speaker; far from it. When he was named Hay River's Citizen of the Year in 2019, it was really a recognition of his five decades of tireless volunteerism. His knack for fundraising, his 40 years of coaching, and the sheer, incalculable number of hours he spent volunteering are the kinds of contributions that communities are built on. There is no doubt that he was a pillar of the community.
Mr. Speaker, there is so much more that could be said. I haven't even mentioned curling. Paul touched many people's lives, whether as a colleague, a friend, a teammate, a coach, a mentor. He will be missed by many, none more than his family. My condolences go out to his wife, Davida, his children, and his grandchildren. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.