Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Happy birthday. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of challenges in our communities in light of the outlook we have in the oil and gas industry and the diamond industry. The people who face these challenges the most are the front line workers like the nurses, social workers, teachers, police and people dealing with the alcohol and drug effects in our communities.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, more and more pressures are put on these resource people, knowing that along with development also comes additional social pressures. With the lack of human resources in our communities, it is having an affect on our front-line workers who are depending more and more on resource people outside of our communities,
In the regional centres and Yellowknife, we have mental health specialists, alcohol and drug specialists, and educational specialists. Yet, Mr. Speaker, the resources in our communities are inadequate when it comes to meeting the demands of our people, who are now realizing the expectations out there in the oil and gas industry. The opportunities are over the horizon. Yet the ability of the people in our communities and the resource people who will assist these people are very limited.
We talk about programs in our communities to assist people to get into the workforce, to be positive employees in relation to alcohol and drug problems, students who want to expand and move on to extend their education in the area of adult education programs, and programs to deal with economic opportunities. Despite this, Mr. Speaker, our front-line workers are having pressures put on them with limited resources.
Yes, we are having conferences to deal with these problems, but the resources are inadequate. I for one feel that it is critical that this government puts the resources in place to assist the communities and the resource people to do what they can to better the lives of the people we serve. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services questions on this matter. Thank you.
-- Applause