I rise on behalf of the Liberal caucus and the Official Opposition to join my colleagues in the Legislature to recognize Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month.

There is still much we do not know about MS. Approximately 200 Yukoners live with the disease, and although the disease has been with us for years, there is no known cause and there is no known cure. The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada states that it is often thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. It attacks that protective covering of the nerves — the myelin — causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin.

I also rise today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to pay tribute to Mental Health Week. As mentioned, this year the Canadian Mental Health Association is calling on us to GET LOUD about mental health, to raise our voices to raise awareness, to show support and to reduce the stigma.

It is suspected that one in five Canadians will experience some form of mental health in their lifetimes. We as individuals must create an environment where we can feel welcome and supported. Mental health issues are affecting all Canadians, regardless of affluence, age or gender. There is so much work to be done to end the stigma, but Yukoners are starting to talk about mental health more and more. Increasingly, it is at the forefront of their top concerns, but what they want is action taken to provide support for mental health services.

I also rise today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to join with my colleagues in recognizing May as Sexual Assault Prevention Month — prevention month, Mr. Speaker. This was originally known as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month”. That name has changed because awareness of sexual assault is not enough. Prevention is what we all need to be working toward.

This year, the theme is “Call it what it is”, as mentioned from the members opposite — and it is “Alcohol and responsibility to get consent”. The theme works to highlight how too often — as mentioned by other colleagues in the House today in their amazing speech — alcohol is used as a tool and as an inhibitor of sexual violence. A lot of work has been done in the last few years to work toward defeating rape culture and our media and government campaigns are beginning to resemble this fundamental shift away from blaming the victims.

I rise as well today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to pay tribute to the National Day of Mourning. On April 28 every year we come together to remember the workers whose lives have been lost and those who have been injured while on the job, and to renew our collective commitment to healthy and safe workplaces.

Today we join the rest of Canada and countries around the world to honour the millions of lives that have forever been changed by workplace injuries. Although we continue to make gains toward stronger health and safety regulations, workplace injuries and work-related illnesses are still way too common. One workplace injury is still too many injuries in the workplace — although this year, 360 people have reported workplace injuries already.

It is with great pleasure that I rise on behalf of the all of my colleagues here in the Legislative Assembly to pay tribute to the graduates of the Yukon School of Visual Arts. SOVA is an incredibly important institution to the residents of Dawson City and I hope that the students graduating look back on their time in the Klondike with great fondness.

I spoke today to Dr. Curtis Collins, the director and program chair, and he had this to say — and I quote: “This year’s group can be characterized as being extremely entrepreneurial and community-minded.” The direct programming of SOVA has a lasting impact on the social fabric of the community, but this year’s cohort stepped up more than ever and participated in many community events. The students helped organize, for example, a fundraiser to provide a local summer girls’ rock camp for Dawson students. The fundraiser was called “Punk-Rock the Night Away” and was held at the YOOP Hall. It was organized and featured performances by SOVA students.

It’s with great pleasure that I also rise today on behalf of the Liberal Party to pay tribute to Education Week. This year’s theme, as mentioned by the minister, is “Many Paths to Learning” and it is a reflection on the different ways that each individual learns.

A one-size-fits-all approach to education never works when it comes to advancing the educational needs of students. There are many skills that a teacher needs to have in order to be successful, but few are more valuable than being able to understand the learning needs of a student. The earlier that a student has a learning plan, the better off the student will be in the long run.

I rise today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to pay tribute and mark the 45^th annual Earth Day.

Mr. Speaker, Earth Day was originally held on April 22, 1970 in the United States and it was originally intended as a one-time deal. It was to bring awareness to the environmental movement, but now it’s considered as the birthplace of the modern-day movement.

As Yukoners, we have a lot to celebrate when it comes to our environment, to our beautiful scenery, to our fresh air and our clean water.

I rise today on behalf of the Liberal caucus to also pay tribute to the 10^th annual National Victims of Crime Awareness Week.

The 2015 theme is “Shaping the Future Together”. The theme looks to highlight that victims of crime are working to move forward from being defined as merely victims and actually shaping their own futures. Mr. Speaker, sadly, the Yukon has the third-highest crime rate in the country, better only than the other two territories. Too often the focus is on the crime and we allow the offender to be too much of the story and we often forget that for every crime, there is an innocent person who has had their rights violated.

I rise on behalf of the Liberal caucus to also pay tribute to World Heritage Day. April 18 marks World Heritage Day, a day to celebrate significant cultural and historical places around the world. Here in the Yukon, we are fortunate enough to have some incredible treasures.

Whether it’s the natural beauty of our mountains or some of the historic relics that sit along our rivers and valleys, Yukon’s heritage is constantly around us. Yukon is fortunate to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kluane National Park. Of course, the Klondike region is on the consideration list.

Mr. Silver: It is with great pleasure that I rise today on behalf of the Liberal Party and the Official Opposition to pay tribute to Law Day and the anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Law Day was created by the Canadian Bar Association as a national day to mark the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It also provides an opportunity for those in the legal profession to educate the general public on Canada’s legal system. It was 33 years ago that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was signed into effect, enacting one of the strongest and most far-reaching pieces of our constitution. It was also on this day that patriating the Canadian Constitution formally took place, another landmark moment.