Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statements, I have touched upon many areas of importance to me: addictions, infrastructure, and our resource sector, to name a few. However, one topic I haven't touched upon that is near and dear to my heart is jewellery and, more specifically, earrings.
Those who follow me on social media, and likely everyone in this Chamber, are already aware of this passion, or should I say obsession, of mine with earrings. This obsession only arose over the last year, as I didn't have much use for them in my previous life. I'd like to thank my colleague MLA Cleveland who first encouraged this burgeoning passion of mine by introducing me to the work of her friends, or "suppliers," such as Jesse Lafferty and Naomi Bourque who, along with Sheena Yakeleya, were some of the first northern artists I purchased from.
As we entered the pandemic and money became tight for many, I realised I had a great opportunity to help northern artists by showcasing their work. I also saw how non-traditional earners and home-based businesses were quickly falling through the gaps in federal COVID relief programs and people, particularly women, were struggling. As a result, I started purchasing more and more earrings and featuring photos of them online, tagging the artists wherever I could. Since then, I've seen friends in Saskatchewan and British Columbia sporting amazing pieces of northern, wearable art, and I feel the effect that I can have in this role. Social media has proven to be, and will continue to be, a powerful tool to help spread the work of our amazing artists beyond these territorial borders.
As the year progressed, I realized I was personally reaping an amazing benefit from my earring obsession. I was connecting with an amazing group of people, generally women, who were teaching me about their traditional arts, cultures, and ways of life. Through social media, I've been allowed a glimpse into the lives of residents in all corners of our territory, and I have made lasting friendships. Friendships I would never have forged if it hadn't been for a small piece of birch bark or hide adorned with beads.
One thing my parents always stressed to me was the importance of being a lifelong learner, that every experience brings with it an opportunity to learn and grow. Since the beginning of time, humans have used art to express themselves, tell our stories, and to educate. I wanted to use my time today to say thank you to all our amazing northern artists who continue to persevere, despite tough times, to create the pieces they love, including Great Slave constituent Sana Ashok, who made the earrings that I am wearing today.
Mr. Speaker, I will have no questions for Cabinet today; rather, I take this moment to encourage them to support an artist in their region by purchasing a piece of art today. Thank you.