Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is on adult education. During this session we have heard about the new Northern Employment Strategy and the Standing Committee on Government Operations are going to table a report on Affirmative Action and Human Resource Management. Both stress the need to increase employment opportunities for northerners.
For me, there is one critical element in making this happen - education. In ten to 20 years our children will be the professionals and business people in the north. A strong school system is important to make this happen. We can see results already from grade extensions. There are more graduates and more students staying in school, but this is only half of the equation.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken on this many times. In the short term, we need to support the adults who did not have the same access to education as children today currently have. I believe you are never too old to learn. Aurora and Arctic College are full of mature students. Some of them are changing careers, some of them may finally enter the workforce because of this.
Mr. Speaker, there are many people capable and who need the helping hand of adult basic education. While there is a cost, there is a greater cost to them if they stay on income support for life and that cost is also reflected in government spending. There is an interest out there. We have to make sure that people can get the education they need to grow and learn and we make sure that they do not lose their interest while they are waiting to get into classes.
In many areas we have talked about spending a bit more now to have savings later. Nowhere is there a better example of this than in the area of adult education. Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister recently indicated that we are going to be spending $16 million to help people gain employment through the Northern Employment Strategy. I am glad to see that Cabinet has been listening to my many statements on adult education and that $2 million of that Northern Employment Strategy will be for adult education. I can only say, Mr. Speaker, bravo.
-- Applause