Mr. Speaker, Michael Burchill, former constituency assistant for Kam Lake, Frame Lake, Yellowknife Centre, and my friend, passed away over the holiday season. He was not yet 30 years old, but in his short time on this earth and in our North, he worked tirelessly to help others.
From a young age, Mike felt a calling to serve. Whether volunteering every available hour to a territorial campaign or something small like helping a friend carry groceries, Mike was there. Mike was always there. I don't think I've met anyone who simply cared about others the way Mike did. His altruism was unironic, his love uncomplicated, and his laugh almost too authentic.
Mr. Speaker, Mike didn't spend long in our North, but in that time, he fostered countless friends and helped numerous constituents. Connection was a fundamental principle to him. He felt every person he met deserved what was, in retrospect, the most precious thing he could give: his time. If you met him, you wouldn't have forgotten him. He made sure of that.
As MLAs, I know many of us would be lost without our constituency assistants. They are front-line workers who must master the inner workings of government. They help people get income assistance, housing, healthcare, and so much more. When I was first elected, Mike helped me set up my office. Many people who have held office in this legislature benefited from his talents. More than a colleague, he was a friend to many. He was my friend, and he will be deeply missed.
Though he is gone, he is not lost to any of us. The time he spent with others will always remain in the memories of those who loved him. His influence can be found in many of the words of Hansard. He believed in the power of words, and never more so when they were spoken within a form of democracy like our Legislative Assembly. I am confident he would be given great solace knowing he enters a form of immortality by becoming words in Hansard: Michael Burchill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.