Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make a general statement in reference to all the graduating students across the NWT now and over the next few weeks. The next few weeks will see many young adults graduating from our high schools across the NWT and making the transition for the next educational stage of their lives. Some may not take the challenge right away, but a majority will move onto college/university to begin preparing for their chosen career. Mr. Speaker, today's youth who are progressing through the education system face many challenges as they move forward in their education. I believe there is more preparation now needed for these students across the territories and around the north than in the past to take up that challenge and become successful, productive contributors to our societies the cultural. Mr. Speaker, I offer my congratulations to all students
completing high school and looking forward to the future. I especially offer my congratulation to those who are now just finishing college and university programs. Those individuals are prepared now to enter the various workforce in the Northwest Territories and elsewhere in Canada. The job markets are tough and competitive as well as lacking opportunities at times for fresh graduates. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I ask the business community of the north, industry, the private sector and this government if they can help assist those graduating students into the workforce.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that our government and business across the territories will make all efforts to welcome these students into the important workforce of the north. I would like to acknowledge from my constituency, three ladies from the Delta who have just completed the Alcohol and Drug Counselling Program in Hay River. I am positive that they will assist in the development of healing people of the north and the Mackenzie Delta. These ladies are Mary Ross and Anne Firth-Jones of Fort McPherson and Violet Doolittle from Inuvik. We have prepared these students for the workforce and to assist this government in preparing our communities. I would like to wish them all the best in moving on with their efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause