Thank you, colleagues, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm leading up to a point here. I'm doing a "Lewisism," I think, as Mr. Gargan referred to it. The northern careers program took high flyers, put them in positions within the federal government, and trained them to work in positions of middle and senior management. During the period of time the program ran, it showed some very positive results, recruiting people who have special skills, but who never quite had the opportunity because of roadblocks in the way of preventing aboriginal peoples from getting into these particular positions.

These programs, NORTRAN, office of native employment and native careers enhanced their opportunities and, Madam Speaker, during the years I was associated with them, they were quite successful. I was also quite pleased with the western Arctic leadership program. It was based on a principle that there are people who rise above the average who have special talents. The program hand-picks those individuals and puts them through an intense training, work them to their maximum, develop their talents so they can go out and become examples for others and fill the needs that aboriginal people should be filling in the work place that would benefit all northern people.

I fear, at times, that maybe we're losing sight of the fact that although people are supposed to be created equal, there are people with special skills and talents who we have to support. We have to put those people into situations where they have a chance to blossom. I thought the western Arctic leadership program was such a program. Many people have expressed to me that this government is losing sight of this objective and there may be some action at work to discontinue this program for one reason or another. I have become quite concerned because it will not do any good for people who want to have an opportunity to take advantage of a program like that which will benefit all northern peoples.

I would encourage the government to reconsider very carefully, if they are indeed considering discontinuing that program. I would encourage them to take a look at the success of these programs in the past. Thank you, colleagues, thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause