Thank you, Mr. Speaker-elect. This is a very important area and something that we've been trying to address for a long time. I know not everyone should aspire to go to university. I think trades is a very good way to make a very healthy living. I think we've had a lot of discussions with the mining industry. We've run out of northern Aboriginal or even northern tradespeople. What we need to do, I think, and it's been suggested and we've looked at a number of different models, the German model where they stream people at a younger age into the trades. That seems to work quite well. In trying to hire more people at the mines, we've worked very closely with the mines to increase the number of apprenticeship positions. I think we need to focus on apprenticeship programs and find ways to get more northern youth to take apprenticeship programs, so not only will they benefit from having a trade but also they will get jobs and utilize our post-secondary education facilities here in the Northwest Territories. I think we have to work very closely with the schools and make sure that students are aware of all the different opportunities.

I did a radio show yesterday morning and one of the students called in and asked where the jobs were. Certainly one of the best areas is getting into the trades program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker-elect.