Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have heard it said that these are exciting times in the Northwest Territories. We have diamond development and the enormous potential for oil and gas. Prospects on it are that we will become a "have" territory. It is only fair that the people that are in the area of the development should get first crack at the jobs that arise from the development of those resources. We know, especially in the area of oil and gas that is coming up, there is a need for qualified tradespersons, and that need will come up very quickly here.
We know that if we are going to do something, we have to take advantage of it right away, Mr. Speaker, not in three years or later, because at that time it will be too late.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, seeing that they have lapsed over the last three years, $935,000. I think a lot of this lapse is due to the literacy rates because you need to have a good education to be able to do the course work that is involved in a lot of the apprenticeships.
Can the Minister inform me if he is aware of the number of people who have applied for apprenticeships and those that have been turned down, and the reason for them being turned down? Thank you.