Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today concerns training and education for jobs in the oil and gas industry, and I would like to point out some of these issues surrounding this topic.
First of all, there are no college programs for oil and gas training in the Northwest Territories. There are only safety programs being offered. There is no community-based training. People currently have to go south for oil and gas training, and there has been no new funding for oil and gas training this year. The $500,000 that has been committed is essentially the same as last year -- this at a time when $22 million has been committed to support the diamond industry.
Mr. Speaker, it is my fear that the window of opportunity will have passed us by the time the Government of the Northwest Territories establishes meaningful northern training programs that will help Northerners get jobs in the oil and gas sector. Residents of the Deh Cho need quality training now in order to be prepared for oil and gas exploration. When exploration happens, it happens quickly, and it may then be too late to provide proper training programs. We will then witness an influx of workers from southern Canada, while our northern work force struggles to find low paying jobs in the industry.
Mr. Speaker, surely money cannot be an issue here. Look at how much money was poured into the diamond industry by this government in a short period of time. Contrast that amount with the small amount of funding allocated to oil and gas training and preparation. We have been waiting for renewal of oil and gas exploration activity and development in the North for over 20 years. Now that the activity is here, it seems that this government intends to sit by idly and renege on its responsibilities for the provision of meaningful training opportunities for northern residents.
Mr. Speaker, it is essential that this government take a creative and immediate role in providing resources for training people for upcoming jobs in the oil and gas sector. We cannot afford to wait for the federal government to fund our plans. We must allocate funds ourselves before the opportunity is lost. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause