Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has never been a time when education has been more important to the future of the Northwest Territories. In a land rich in resources and opportunities, we, as a government, have a responsibility to make sure there is a trained and available labour force ready to meet the challenges of benefitting from these resources and opportunities in the upcoming millennium. Mr. Speaker, to ensure the viability of our economy in the Northwest Territories, it is imperative that a local talented and responsive labour forces be developed. We have to make sure that northern college programs are relevant to employers' needs now and in the future. There have to be incentives for a post secondary educated northerner to return after completing their higher education in the south and contribute to the northern economy in a positive manner. The education which our children receive in their formative years must be of comparable quality to that offered to a child in the south. The Minister of Education has taken some positive steps in developing a common curriculum with his western Canadian counterparts and I applaud and encourage this initiative. However, Mr. Speaker, these initiatives are not enough. I strongly believe it is time for this Legislature to re-examine its priorities. It is time to invest in the future of the Northwest Territories and it is time to invest in education.
Government cutbacks in recent years have impacted on the ability of our educational system to react to our students' needs. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that in these days of making do with less, all students have suffered a drop in the quality of their education. Educational programs are scaled back at all grades, and all students suffer from this. If we are to break the cycle of dependency on social assistance programs that exist in some of our communities, we must provide the best possible education to our children. Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe education should be the cornerstone of this government's and future government's political platforms. We have to re-evaluate our priorities and invest in the future of the Northwest Territories. We must invest in our children and we must invest in education.
Mr. Speaker, I will be making further statements on specific educational issues during the remainder of this session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause