Mr. Speaker, this award presented by the Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Economic Development Association (NLREDA) recognizes an individual whose work has made lasting contributions to the economic development of community and has demonstrated outstanding achievement by empowering people to foster economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Pike, who sits on the Labrador Straits Development Corporation Board, received this award for her thirty-five years of service at the community, regional, and provincial level.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Pike who sits on the Labrador Straits Development Board received this award for her thirty-five years of service at the community, regional and provincial level. Her efforts as an active board member of a variety of community, regional, provincial and international organizations have resulted in millions of dollars being secured for essential community economic development projects, training and infrastructure throughout the Labrador Straits and the Labrador region.

Mr. Speaker, while raising five children, managing a community fish plant, leading municipal council for thirty years and establishing a successful private tourism business, Mrs. Pike has managed to be involved in over twenty-two community, regional, provincial and international committees, associations and working groups. The total impact of her involvement is impossible to determine. She has always recognized the clear linkages between community and economic development and social development. She has been a driving force in her area in establishing family resource centres, community youth network, literacy programs and health initiatives for the Labrador Straits and as a board member of the International Grenfell Association for over fourteen years she has secured millions of dollars in funding for a wide variety of health, education, recreation and community development projects in Labrador and Northern Newfoundland.

I ask all my colleagues in the House of Assembly to join with me in recognizing Agnes Pike on winning the Herbert D. Brett award for her outstanding contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador.