Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good morning. Mr. Speaker, the morale of the teaching staff in the community of Pangnirtung is at an all time low. There has been an increase in enrolment but not an increase in funding to school programs. For the last three years, there has been a drop in funding for education programs in Pangnirtung. This puts pressure on teachers to make do with very limited resources, students are not able to use programs that they were entitled to in the past. The recent contract signed between the GNWT and the teachers has put extra financial pressure on our teachers. Total income has gone down, living costs have gone up, for example housing costs have increased from 15 percent
to over 50 percent in some cases. Rent that used to be $370 is now $1,500 or even $1,600. It is hard to maintain good staff when their salaries are not going up but their living costs are. Local staff has been the hardest hit. Some of the local staff told me, it is better to go on welfare than teach for a living. Mr. Speaker, education is important to the success of our youth. We need qualified, motivated and well paid teachers to instruct our youth. There must be enough teaching staff and enough money to pay them what they are worth. If the government does not pay them well, then they will be forced to go elsewhere. Mr. Speaker, I say again, the teaching staff in Pangnirtung are underpaid and overworked. This situation is not acceptable. Our children's education must not be compromised, they are our future. Thank you.
--Applause