Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to pay my respects to Range Lake constituent Larry Galt.

Larry was born in Red Deer, Alberta, in 1952, and in the words of his son Isaiah, Larry was a real northern legend. A fisherman, a hunter, a mechanic, a master of duct tape and zip ties, a bush rat, a grandfather to a thousand kids and animals around the world, a friend, a sponsor, a mentor, a brother, an uncle, a son, and a father.

Larry came to Yellowknife in 1971 to work at Con Mine, and not long after he discovered life in the bush and all the exciting opportunities for adventure it offered. He took up firefighting and later spent months at a time prospecting where he found his calling in mining exploration, a career he happily pursued for over 30 years.

From his earliest memory, Larry knew the bush was where he belonged - fishing, hunting, trapping, and generally traipsing around. He loved the lifestyle of freedom but knew he also needed to focus on his friends, family, and most of all himself.

Larry joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 2002 and never strayed. In his words it was my time to quit. When it's your time, it's your time. Now I'm doing all these things I always talked about. You've just got to work at it and never give up.

At AA, Larry affected the lives of many, staying by their bedside, spending time, and listening as they moved on to their next journey.

In his final years, he traveled the country on his bike, visiting friends coast to coast, and in Australia and Central America, fishing wherever he could along the way. When he wasn't on the road, he was homesteading in a cabin along the Mackenzie Highway for many years.

Larry's real legacy is through remembering laughter and good times and through tears and sad times. His unwavering love for his friends was second only for the love of his two children, Isaiah and Leah. He was a very proud father who enjoyed celebrating the company of his kids. He is missed by many, and our community is better for having had Larry Galt as part of it. Gone too soon. Rest in peace, Larry, our Bushman with a heart.