Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce today that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment will implement a framework to train more health and social services workers. This training will be done in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services through Nunavut and Aurora Arctic colleges. In all, over $2 million in additional training funds will be spent in the next two years.
This funding will be used to offer more nursing access programs, increased support for students in diploma programs, and begin delivery of nursing degree courses. Other health-related occupation programs will also be expanded. These include Community Health Representative, Community Home Support Worker, Long-term Care Aid and Alcohol and Drug Addictions Counsellor programs.
On the social services side, a social work access year will be added to the social work diploma program and degree courses will be enhanced. This January, the nursing access year will be offered at two locations in the western NWT and one in Nunavut. A social work access program will also begin in the west. The rest of the programs will begin next fall.
Last week, my colleague, the Minister of Health and Social Services, announced actions to help attract and keep more health and social service professionals in our northern communities. These actions, together with more opportunities for training, will go a long way to ensure a good supply of well-trained professionals to fill health and social services jobs now and in the future.
I am pleased that we have been able to respond in such a positive way to a clear and important need. This training strategy will build the capacity of northerners to meet our own needs in the health and social services professions and improve services for all residents. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause