Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we only need to look at the number of tradespeople that had to be imported to build the BHP diamond plant to recognize we could have used more tradespeople in the Northwest Territories. Looking at the future, we have projected fully one-third of all the new jobs we can expect to see in the territories in the next five years will require trades certification. This confirms the need for more development in order for our young people to find jobs. What is the department doing? Our sponsorship of Apprenticeship Week this year is one example of an activity we have undertaken to raise the profile of trades in the north. We are offering the Schools North Apprenticeship Program in which young people may start an apprenticeship while still in high school as part of the CTS modules. The Mine Training Committee has initiated a program called Mine TAP, which is an upgrading program to enable northerners who are not quite ready to enter into an apprenticeship to upgrade themselves

so they can enter into an apprenticeship. We have worked at improving, through our CTS modules, awareness among young people in the north of the opportunities that are provided through apprenticeship. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.