Mr. Speaker, June 1^st is National Cancer Survivors Day. This day is an annual celebration of life and loved ones. Each year, it reminds us of the importance of speaking openly about cancer, and supporting one another in the face of such a serious disease.

On average, 111 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the NWT every year. There is life after diagnosis. The NWT residents I know who have cancer have shown courage and strength in their individual cancer journeys.

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP enjoys a long and important history in the NWT, going all the way back to its original creation as a force established to police what was then a much larger Northwest Territories. Today, the RCMP continues to be valued for the policing services they provide and the contributions individual members make in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has committed to building a strong, prosperous territory and ensuring its benefits are shared in all communities and regions. Strategic investments in transportation infrastructure will help support the long-term growth of our economy and provide jobs and opportunities to our people. The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway is one of these projects and I am pleased to report on the success of the first winter of construction.

Mr. Speaker, tourism is the Northwest Territories’ largest renewable resource-based sector. Last year, approximately 76,000 tourists visited the territory – one of the highest visitor numbers we have seen in the last decade.

Today I would like to tell you about ways we have and will be improving our territorial parks and the positive outlook for our tourism industry.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share some exciting news about the roll out of Junior Kindergarten that will begin in the fall of 2014. There has been much discussion on how we are implementing Junior Kindergarten, and we carefully considered comments and concerns raised by Education Boards on the rollout of Junior Kindergarten.

Mr. Speaker, we put the decision to Education Boards and gave them a choice of whether they wanted to implement Junior Kindergarten in the fall of this year, or defer it to next year.

Mr. Speaker, on March 4, 2014, this Assembly received a report on Child and Family Services from the Auditor General of Canada. The report confirmed what we already knew – that we need to do a better job of supporting children and families. It highlighted areas where our system has seriously failed. It told how some children are falling through the cracks, and how some Health and Social Services Authorities have not routinely followed up on the well-being of children placed into care. These situations are unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome Members back to the continuation of the Fifth Session of the 17^th Legislative Assembly.

Elders, leaders, colleagues, ladies and gentleman, thank you for joining us here today. I would  like to recognize and welcome  Chief Harry Deneron of the Acho Dene Koe First Nation, President Ernie McLeod of the Fort Liard Metis Local #67, Chief Frieda Martselos of the Salt River First Nation and Sub-Chief Robert Sayine of the Deninu Kue First Nation. I would also like to recognize my colleagues Ministers Lafferty, Miltenberger, Beaulieu and Ramsay and MLAs…

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Northwest Territories has a very exciting economic story to tell. And I, for one, am excited to be here today to tell you about it. I want to thank all of you today – and to your President, Jason McEvoy for the opportunity to speak with you today, at home.

We are now in a position to take a hands-on approach to growing and building our economy, our Territory and our future.

Commitment to duty and service to others are important values for Northerners. We have always understood that strong people contributing to their communities is what makes this a strong territory and a strong country.

Today we join Canadians from coast to coast to coast in honouring the contributions and sacrifices made by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces during their mission in Afghanistan. It is through their actions – and the actions of men and women just like them – that Canada is helping to build a better more peaceful world for all of us.