Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make another statement on education and its importance in the NWT. I made a statement two weeks ago on what I see as one of the failures of our education system -- the lack of graduates. I said at the time that education, especially kindergarten to grade 12, should be one of, if not the top priority of the Legislative Assembly. Since that time the standing committee on finance, of which I am chairman, has set kindergarten to grade 12 as one of its priorities over the next four years.
Mr. Speaker, last week one of the Members on the other side of the House, who will remain anonymous, approached me about this issue. That Member stated, among other things, that I should not be so critical of the education system and the teachers in that system -- an education basher, I believe was the term used. I think some Members seem to have misunderstood what I am trying to say, so I will try to clarify it today.
First of all, I have never criticized the teachers in our system, nor would I ever. I know that in my own region, our teachers are very dedicated and hard-working. They deserve nothing but praise. However, the fact remains that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system when we cannot get our kids through kindergarten to grade 12. It is our responsibility -- Members of the Legislative Assembly, cabinet and the Minister of Education -- to ensure that this system is improved. To do this we have to pay more than lip service to the problem. We have to develop both short and long-term plans. I do not believe that this is education-bashing. On the contrary, I think it is simply being prudent.
Mr. Speaker, sometimes I am told that I wear my emotions on my sleeve. But to me, education of my children and your children is an emotional issue. It is about kids; it is about their future. It is not a philosophical issue that we sometimes debate in this House. It is a real issue. It is about developing concrete strategies to get our kids through kindergarten to grade 12 and into post-secondary studies. It is about developing leaders of tomorrow. It is about ensuring that the quality of education is the same in Pangnirtung, Rankin Inlet, Inuvik and Yellowknife. It is about ensuring that our kids can get jobs and that they have some hope for the future.
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe I am an education-basher. What I am is afraid....