Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Focus for the Future: A Strategic Response to the Challenge of Community Government Funding, August 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Chris Gargen, joining us here today from the constituency of Inuvik Boot Lake. I would also like to recognize, as I mentioned earlier, Sheila Kotchilea, who has been a very strong supporter, not only for my office, but for all Members and providing information to Members of the Legislative Assembly. I know she is going to continue to do great work. Ronna Sharegan, she has been a really great job. I know that you are going to have a good future in this House. As well as, of course, Judy McLeod, Hilda Camirand.

Just for the record, Mr. Speaker, this is my last day in the House. I would like to recognize a very special constituent who has done a lot of hard work for our territory, the NWT, nationally, internationally, regionally, local. That special constituent is, I am not going to say his middle name, Robert C. McLeod. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

[Microphone turned off] then I'll be finished. In the last eight years, Mr. Speaker, I've never recognized one constituent of Inuvik Boot Lake, and I'd like to recognize him today and thank him for all the work that he's done, and it's my constituent Mr. Robertson McLeod. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been an honour to serve in this Assembly two terms. I think that my colleague on the other side said it well yesterday, that we only average about four years. I am lucky that I was able to do two terms, and I think that anybody who goes above the four years shows the work that they do for the people of the Northwest Territories. I just wanted to say, if you're doing 12 years, you have been doing a good job.

I just wanted to recognize Tom Beaulieu, Glen Abernethy, and R. C. McLeod. You look at the years that they have put in, the experience, and the work that they have done for people, not only serving in this House, but serving the territory. That is something that needs to be recognized. I just want to thank all of them for giving me the advice to do the job that I did and get over that four years.

Before that, I also want to say that the legislative staff, for anybody who doesn't know the work that we do in this House, they are the backbone. They are the backbone that holds this government, this House, the committees, and our Cabinet together. I know that there have been a lot of people who have come and gone, and I did recognize some of them last night, but we do have some of them in the House today. I know that there is probably going to be a passing of the torch at some point, but a lot of responsibility, looking at you, and I know that you guys are going to be doing a good job. I just want to thank the clerks whom I have had the opportunity to work with over these last two terms, as I said last night, giving me sound advice to do the job that I did.

I have worked in public service for about 14 years, Mr. Speaker, and behind the scenes, outside of the Legislative Assembly, we have a lot of great people who work at the deputy minister's level, senior level, and I just want to thank them. I want to say that I have been honoured to be a Minister working with the departments that I have had the opportunity to work with.

I know that we are going to get into recognition of the visitors in the gallery later, but at this point, Mr. Speaker, if you will allow me, I would like to recognize some people in the gallery at this point. Ronna Sharegan. Long history. We worked together in the industry, and I'm glad that she had the opportunity to come and work with me in my office and learn about government. Sheila. Strong supporter. She has worked for you, Mr. Speaker, worked for me, and I just want to say thank you, Sheila, for all the support that you've given over these years.

Mr. Speaker, I've always recognized Judy McLeod, a constituent of mine, and I want to recognize her again; and also Hilda Camirand. We've chatted about this many times, where, as the Delta Boys who would walk down the hall, Hilda would always ask how you were doing and always say hi and good morning.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I know the Member and I have had discussions on this in terms of some of the communities, I don't want to say "that can't manage", but need the resources to assist them, and that is what our department does. We offer and provide services in terms of training through our School of Community Government.

The last thing that we want to do is take administration of the community. I have said this on a few occasions, that we would like our staff to do the work that we need to do at the headquarters and territorial level. We do get people who get elected into communities, but also the administration. I think the SAOs and administration is one that we are always going to seem to have a challenge with. We are there to provide support to communities to ensure that we are able to help them administer their programs and services in the communities.

I have had conversations with the Member as well as the leadership. Most recently, we have sent letters to the leadership in the communities that the Member may not have mentioned, but he understands that we are communicating and we are there to provide assistance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "2018 Annual Report - Office of the Fire Marshal." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I mentioned with the seniors' complex, we want to make sure that we do our best to ensure that we get our seniors moving into the nine-plex that we just opened up, but at the same time, I mean, one other good-news story is that, if we get our seniors moving out of public housing into the nine-plex, then we open up more units for any of our residents who need to move into public housing. So we are going to try our best, and I will keep the Member updated on how we are moving in terms of getting the appliances into the nine-plex.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Member has brought these questions up previously. Especially with the meters that have been installed for the two duplexes in Fort McPherson, I'd like to let the Member know that those meters have been installed and the units are being finalized and will be ready for occupancy September 1^st. I'd like to thank the member for being there when we did the opening of the nine-plex in Fort McPherson just recently. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Really quickly, we are working with our partners to see what options are out there that allow our clients to face fewer barriers around insurance. I think that education is going to be a part of that. We need to work with our financial partners to address this. I think that, moving into the 19^th Assembly, because we are right on the tail end of this session, that is something that we need to look at addressing. Members coming into the 19^th, I think, should continue to have these types of questions moving forward for our residents across the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.