Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the creation of the Nunavut territory is now about 36 months away. It will provide many new opportunities for Inuit to directly guide the growth and development of the new government and communities. To ensure the government of the new territory reflects the priorities of Inuit, it is essential that they hold key positions. I am pleased to inform this Assembly that Nunavut Arctic College is a partner in an initiative to train Inuit for senior management positions in Nunavut.

The three-year program is called Sivuliuqtit. Twenty participants from the Keewatin, Kitikmeot and Baffin regions are taking part. Each is training on the job with a sponsoring organization in his or her own community.

The program also includes mentoring, a distance-education component and six weeks at the Keewatin Campus of Nunavut Arctic College. The Keewatin Campus is managing the program in partnership with Radian, the business unit of the Canadian Centre for Management Development.

Sivuliuqtit is the result of cooperation between a number of Nunavut organizations, including the Government of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut Implementation Commission, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Nunavut Implementation Training Committee. These organizations share a commitment to developing management training and, as a result, have created a program which can serve as a model for others as we work towards the goal of creating Nunavut. The Government of Canada has also been a partner, along with Radian and Nunavut Arctic College

Mr. Speaker, I was honoured to attend the launch of the program a few weeks ago in Rankin Inlet and meet the participants. I believe that the kind of cooperation and collaboration that went into this program is essential if we are to provide the training needed to prepare the Inuit for employment in a Nunavut government and in other public I look forward to seeing the graduates of this program take their places in administering the new territory. Thank you.

---Applause and safe travel to and from their homes. Thank you.