Mr. Speaker, one fateful evening around eight years ago, my partner told me that I should run for MLA because he was tired of hearing me complain about how the government wasn't doing enough. At the time, I was the executive director for the Centre for Northern Families, and I knew systemic change was needed for our most vulnerable residents.
Soon after, a local campaign school aimed at encouraging women to consider politics and to teach them about how to run a campaign was advertised in Yellowknife. I decided there was no harm in seeing what it was all about, and it was in this campaign school that I realized there was space for me in politics.

It has been a privilege to work in this building over the last eight years, an honour that I do not take lightly. I want to thank all my colleagues for being steadfast through some of the most challenging days any of us will ever experience. We did not anticipate a global pandemic or the floods and fires we have experienced, but we experienced our strongest moments as an Assembly when we worked through these challenges together.

Thank you to my constituents for trusting me to serve you for the last eight years, and to my children Levi and Dylan for being two of my biggest supporters. The biggest thank you to my partner Rory for being the mosquito in my ear that annoyed me enough to run for MLA, and twice at that.

After much discussion and thought, I have decided to not run in this upcoming election. I don't know what I will do next, but my passion for public service continues.

Looking around the Chamber today, it's clear that great strides have been made towards improving representation since Minister Green and I were first elected eight years ago. I sincerely hope that this trend continues in the next Assembly, and I wish all candidates a positive campaign experience in October. Running for office is a demonstration of your passion for our great territory and it is an honourable pursuit no matter the outcome. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.