Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment labels some of its initiatives in the oil and gas industry training as just-in-time training courses. Mr. Speaker, this term illustrates the government taking a reactive approach to human resources planning and training.

What our workforce needs is a proactive approach to training that will ensure that the trained people are in place in advance of opportunities actually arriving. Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to wait for training programs to be put in place just in time for trainees to see exploration companies leaving town.

I would like to also raise the issue of specialist advice for communities in my constituency. Many of the community governments in my constituency are aboriginal government organizations that have traditional land rights in the area rich in oil and gas potential. The GNWT should be assisting these communities with funding to enable them to hire industry-specific specialists on a confidential basis to allow them to negotiate value-added business deals with industry partners.

I am not talking about in-house advice offered by the GNWT, Mr. Speaker. I am talking about funding for aboriginal community governments to hire industry specialists and negotiators that will allow them to conduct professional, due diligence analysis negotiation on potential business deals.

At the present time, there are opportunities for commercial participation on a number of different levels, up to and including equity participation in oil and gas initiatives for aboriginal community governments in my constituency. Only informed decisions will maximize long-term benefits for these communities and the NWT as a whole, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, what is needed is for a comprehensive and imaginative package of government services and programs to be put in place that will assist aboriginal governments to take advantage of the unique opportunities that are available to them. Opportunities that, if taken advantage of, will benefit all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause