Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am both proud and deeply saddened to rise today to speak to the memory of my dear friend Greg Pratt whose recent passing deeply impacted many residents of our community, his hometown of Victoria, and the various lives he touched in between. Greg was the kind of person you remember when you meet them. He struck an imposing figure at well over 6 feet tall, was extensively tattooed, had a boisterous laugh, and approached everything he did with notable confidence, dedication, and skill. Frankly, he was one of those people who was frustratingly good at everything he did. I've never felt as inferior as I did try to play crib against him and being decisively humiliated at it or attempting to help out with a simple home renovation project and quickly demonstrating I was totally useless alongside his journeyman skill set.

But Greg was also unflinchingly kind and patient and relentlessly funny. He was quick to tease and kid around but never made you feel excluded, and he was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge.

In his time in Yellowknife, Greg became best known for his work as a firefighter and paramedic, his chosen dream jobs, which he excelled at and quickly became both a mentor and close friend among his tight-knit group of colleagues.

Greg was married to Crissie Carrigan, his partner of ten years, and their two dogs, Buster and Fonzie, completed their family. Together, they were constant hosts to large groups of friends at their home on Taylor Road, and I have been incredibly privileged to count myself as one of them.

Greg was diagnosed with terminal cancer two years ago, devastating news which hit his family and those of us close to him incredibly hard. What stood out to me in the years that followed, however, and what I'll remember most, was not sadness but the incredible courage and positivity he and Crissie showed in the face of the impossible. I also watched the community rally around them, eager to help in any way they could, as Yellowknife tends to do in such times.

During those years, I also somehow found myself in constant deficit to the favours they would do for me. Despite everything they were going through, Crissie and Greg made a point of going out of their way to celebrate a friend's birthday, continued to host parties and games nights with friends, or went completely out of their way to do a favour without expecting anything in return.

One of my favorite memories of Greg is when my partner Rhiana's parents were visiting last summer, and he made a point of taking us out to the East Arm in his boat so her dad could experience our legendary fishing. We had an incredible time with him and his brother on the water, and you could tell he was so happy to be out there with us. That generosity and kindness is something I will always cherish and look up to, and it also helps sum up what Greg meant to me as a person.

Put simply, Greg showed me what being a good person looks like in the simplest but most fundamental ways possible. He was a dedicated, supportive, and loving partner. He was a generous, kind, and hilarious friend. He is deeply missed by the many friends and loved ones he has left behind, including me, and he lived a full and meaningful life. Greg's passing has left a big hole in our community but all of us whose lives he touched are better for having known him. We love you, and we'll always miss you, Greg. Thank you for being a part of our lives.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends.

Today is going to be very hard for me, as I do a celebration of life for Isadore Simon. I was very fortunate to call him and Lucy, mom and dad. He was born on November 7, 1945, in Rocher River, NWT to Charlotte Simon and David King. Isadore was raised in Rocher River by Joseph Jerome and Charlotte. Isadore had TB at a young age and when he was released from the hospital, he lived with the Dumels who took care of him. Isadore lived there until he was forced to relocate to Fort Resolution after the school burnt down.

Isadore was taught his tradition skills of hunting and trapping by his stepdad Joseph Jerome. Isadore was a traditional and humbled man who loved being on the land. He was at his best being close to Mother Nature. He was proud of his lineage.

As a young man, he enlisted in the navy and was away for a few years. Isadore always worked hard and had many jobs over the years. His last job was with the power corp in Jean Marie River as a plant supervisor/operator. Even after he retired in 2004, Isadore continued doing odd jobs to make ends meet.

Like some people, he had an addiction problem with alcohol, but he decided to address his addictions head on. He attended a treatment centre in Bonnyville, Alberta. After completing the program, he spent his remaining days sober. During his sobriety, Isadore would often go to the bar to visit with his friends that he always kept close, and it never bothered him. As a strong resilient man, Isadore won his battle with addictions.

Isadore had two children, Christina and Milly, from a previous relationship. Several years later, he met the love of his life Lucy Sanguez. At this time, Lucy had three children, Ralph, Boris and Stephanie. In Isadore fashion, he took them all in as his own and raised them as such. To date, they all consider Isadore as their dad. In 1979, Isadore and Lucy got married by the Justice of the Peace. They had two more children, Paul and James. In 2007 Isadore decided that he had remarry Lucy and have it done by a priest.

When his granddaughter Brittany Sanguez was born, Isadore fell in love her and called her his queen, and they had a strong bond. Britt considered Isadore as her dad. He had many grandchildren whom he loved dearly. He was a family man who never turned away from his family. He taught his children and his grandchildren to be responsible and respectful on the land. Later in life, his boys would always ensure that their parents had traditional food in their freezer. Isadore had many long-term friends throughout his life span. It did not matter where Isadore went, he always ran into friends and would like to take time to converse with them in his Dene language. He was proud of his knowledge of Chipewyan and Slavey language.

In the end, Isadore battle with throat cancer and his treatment took a toll on him. In the end, he caught pneumonia which ended his life at 9:30 a.m. on November 25th, 2023, in the community of Jean Marie in the loving arms of his beloved wife Lucy. Dad was the backbone of the family, and he will always be deeply missed by all of us that knew him.

Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I'd like to recognize former Member of the 18th and 19th Assembly, and somebody I consider a really good friend, Kevin O'Reilly. Welcome.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my constituents Jason Lepine, the general manager from the Fort Smith Metis Council, and Cameron Walterhouse, the youth representative for the Fort Smith Metis Council. Welcome to the Assembly.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize folks who are joining us today for the proceedings from the YK Group for Ceasefire. They are the reason for the petition that you saw earlier this week and the motion you will see later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my most vocal constituent, Mr. Kevin O'Reilly. And, also, I note his son Rene O'Reilly is in the audience. And if there's anyone else from Frame Lake up there I missed, I do apologize; I just can't see you here. But thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from the Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Kevin O'Reilly. I had the privilege of working with him together here during the 18th Assembly. Welcome back to the House there, Kevin. Mahsi.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll join the chorus of my colleagues recognizing former MLA, good friend, Kevin O'Reilly. You think retirement would keep him away but once it gets in the blood, politics will never leave. So thank you for being here, Kevin. Appreciate your interest.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, I too want to recognize former MLA Kevin O'Reilly. I still remember the days we used to play hockey; I'm still faster. But anyway, Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize Marc Casaway, Mary Sundberg, Jonas Lafferty, all the translators out of here. I want to say mahsi; you guys are doing a great job. And all the ledge staff and my CA in Fort Resolution Delorme and Taylor. Thank you.

Thank you, Member. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

I too would like to thank all our translators, especially Mary Jane Cazon from Fort Simpson, for being here and all the pages as well. If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your Chamber. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to see people in the gallery. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to acknowledge my constituents John Hazenberg and Gerda Hazenberg on the occasion of their 55th wedding anniversary.

When a couple reaches such an extraordinary milestone, it is worth celebrating with utmost joy and gratitude. After all, 55 years together is an incredible achievement of love and togetherness.
Today I'm honored to recognize John and Gerda and wish them many more years of enduring commitment in a relationship that has withstood the test of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Premier's position is generally to stay out of international affairs, and that is his prerogative. However, as the territory grows, especially with newcomers from many diasporas abroad, what actions is the Premier comfortable in taking to make them feel welcomed and supported in times of hardship and if he feels that that is the responsibility of the federal government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Mr. Premier.