Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize all the young people in the north who are at a turning point in their lives, their high school graduation ceremonies. That means that 12 years or more of their schooling is finished. It's over for them.

However, Mr. Speaker, education, as we all know, is a lifelong learning experience, and I encourage all the students and the graduates to continue in their education because I believe that education is very important and it's a key to a lot of success. It's a key for opportunities here in the north. There are studies which show that the best and better jobs go to better educated people. Therefore, I encourage the young people of the north to continue with their education.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to inform the House that on Saturday, June 3rd, I attended the Deh Cho divisional board high school graduation ceremonies in Fort Simpson along with you and your family, Mr. Speaker.

It was a very beautiful day. The ceremonies took place down on the Flats, as we call it in Fort Simpson, where we have a dance circle where the Pope went down to the papal site. It was a very nice day. Twelve students graduated out of the Deh Cho divisional board. This is the third year in a row where we have grade 12 students who graduated.

I would like to congratulate all 12 students. I am especially pleased to say that only two of the 12 actually came from Fort Simpson. That means that the rest came from the surrounding smaller communities, which is the type of achievement that we would like to have when we start having grade extensions back in the smaller communities.

So with that, I would like to congratulate the 12 students and wish them every success in the future.

---Applause