Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure to attend the graduation exercises in my constituency on Friday. Sometimes, the statistics that we receive on education are discouraging; however, I am Pleased to report some good news from Hay River.
This year, 1996, was the largest graduation class ever from Diamond Jenness Secondary School; 34 graduates in total. These 34 students included two students from Fort Resolution attending high school in Hay River, two students from the Hay River Dene Band, students from Hay River and, for the first time, to my knowledge, interestingly a student who was attending school but also a resident in the Hay River Young Offenders' Facility.
Another fact which is frequently raised when considering the number of students graduating in the North is the disparity between aboriginal and non-aboriginal students. I am pleased to report that at least one-third of the students graduating in Hay River on Friday were Dene and Metis. The demographics of Hay River indicate that approximately one-third of Hay River is of aboriginal ancestry, so the fact that one-third of the grads were also aboriginal is a fact we should be very proud of.
The keynote speaker for the graduation was Captain Terry Camsell, manager of marine carrier operation of Northern Transportation Company and president of the Hay River Metis Local. Terry Camsell was interestingly a graduate of Diamond Jenness Secondary School 23 years prior, and he has had a very successful career and serves as an excellent role model to the young people of Hay River. Hay River is very proud of our graduates. Thank you.
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