Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be brief. Today I would like to rise to congratulate the 1995 graduating class of apprenticeship that received awards on the weekend here in

Yellowknife at a little get together put on by the apprenticeship board.

This is an annual event, Mr. Speaker, that recognizes the hard work that the apprentices do in their respective trades and a good number of them receive special recognition for top marks and other such things they strive for in their respective occupations. There were people from the automotive industry, both mechanics and auto body repairmen, there were flooring technicians, cooks, welders and plumbers; all people who we can't do without in our daily living. It was good to see that there were a good number of northerners who received special recognition that evening for their hard work and dedication. It's paying off.

I was particularly interested in the guest speaker, the human resource officer from BHP who was there to outline what young people should be looking at in the diamond industry if it ever gets under way here in the territories. There are going to be a good number of jobs there, some highly skilled, others in the technical and other areas that require some lead time training that we must, as a government and population where a lot of expertise comes from the south, encourage people to get involved in, should and when it comes.

It reminds me of the days when the Mackenzie Valley was being talked about and an organization called Nortran went about recruiting and training people in the territories in anticipation that there would be a number of jobs coming out of the pipeline. Although it never did come about, the skills the people learned were put to good use in later years.

So, to the apprentices and to the apprenticeship board, congratulations.

---Applause