Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, periodically, when the House is sitting, I get an opportunity to visit my home constituency of Inuvik. This weekend I was there and I had an opportunity to have a public forum in one of the establishments with people in Inuvik. It is an opportunity to share a cup of tea or coffee and talk. Madam Speaker, the main issue that I found on this trip was their concern about education: about the role of the students, where they are going, how they are progressing, as well as the roles of teachers, parents, community education councils, the divisional board and Arctic College.

Madam Speaker, education is life-long learning. Through that learning process, some people progress, some stay the same and some people regress. But the tools to help are what we have in our classrooms and in our learning institutions.

The goal in the Northwest Territories is to try to educate people, so that they progress into meaningful jobs, such as teachers, nurses, doctors, accountants and lawyers; any profession or trade that can contribute to their own well-being and the economy in the north. So we have to pay heed to the concerns raised by parents and students. All too often we forget to talk and consult with those who are impacted the most and those are the students themselves.

There is a new education strategy in place now and there is proposed legislation. I am saying I hope everyone who is concerned gets an opportunity to look at these documents, if they can read them, or have someone interpret them, and have an opportunity to state their concerns in developing the new legislation and education strategy. Mahsi.

---Mahsi.