Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge my home community of Fort Providence for their ongoing efforts to help the evacuees of Jean Marie River. As we all know, JMR was flooded in early May due to high waters. Homes were damaged by water, and there was also contamination from fuel. I would like to commend the coordinators and volunteers who stepped up to assisting our neighbouring community and made them feel safe and secure during their time of need.

The Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation's wellness centre was open for cookouts for traditional foods on the fire. They also delivered food and snacks to the residents at the motel. There were haircuts sponsored by the Dene Nation over two days. The services were provided by Sarah Gargan and her son Kevin Gargan. Various community members brought, cooked, or provided traditional foods to the people at the motel.

The two main coordinators were Shirley Gargan, designated spokesperson for Fort Providence, and Snookie Catholique from the Dene Nation office. The two ladies did daily updates between one another and made sure provisions and any arrangements required were looked after for the evacuees.

The first initial meeting took place with MACA and the hamlet before evacuees arrived in our community. The emergencies measures coordinator from MACA gave direction and coordination on how to assess the situation on accommodating the JMR people.

Updates are ongoing between all parties. So it's good that everyone is being updated daily and assessing the situation as time goes. The Fort Providence Housing Association provided the storage trailer to help store all of the nations that were coming in. Housing also offered the use of the seniors home for any of the seniors, if needed.

The Parish Council opened the Blue House which serves as a thrift store to the JMR residents free of charge to get any clothing or amenities they needed.

Evergreen Forestry firefighting crews provided wood for the cooks at the wellness centre. The Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation Chief and Council were offering their programs and buildings. The employment office were offering their building to accommodate residents if needed.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and Mahsi, colleagues. The Dene-Metis Resource Management Office, who organized the hunters to go to gather and disperse traditional food as needed, the two grocery stores, Northern and M&R Grocery, who donated and contributed food and supplies for the evacuees. Local people also offered to open their homes if needed.

A big shout out to MACA for accommodating the JMR residents at the Snowshoe Inn Motel, the Snowshoe Inn staff who made JMR residents feel at home away from home, the Tlicho region for deliveries of food, which included caribou, moose, and geese. They also provided camping gear, clothing, and goods.

The Sahtu region delivered two freezers that were also full of traditionally harvested food, such as meat and fish. The Deh Gah School students also held a big sale to raise money for the evacuees of JMR.

Fort Providence coordinator Shirley Gargan expressed it as sure heartfelt and great gratitude how the help and donations that came in for the people of JMR from all over.

It is during these times when we see the true spirit of the people here in the North. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.