Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to extend my congratulations and my thanks to a young Yellowknifer who represented my constituency and my Ministry in the recent Youth Parliament. Leslie Merrithew did a fantastic job, as did all the other young parliamentarians who were here for the Youth Parliament, debating the issues that face us all here in the Northwest Territories.
Even though Leslie was the youngest, she certainly held her own amongst the others. She praised the Side Door for Youth, which is an important project here in my constituency, Mr. Speaker. She also provided a good explanation of the pupil-teacher ratio as the Minister representing the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
It is great to see a young person such as Leslie having such a good grasp of the issues and understanding the intricacies of government programs. Leslie says that she really enjoyed her time here as a member of the Youth Parliament. She said it was fun and that the experience definitely helped her understand the issues here in the Territories.
Her stint as a parliamentarian inspired her, and I believe she is applying to become a page here in our Legislature and no doubt we will see her again. When she finishes high school she has an interest in mathematics. She wants to become a high school math teacher and possibly some day become a politician. Mr. Speaker, I hope this House will join me in offering congratulations to Leslie Merrithew and all the Youth Parliamentarians who served us so well a couple of weeks ago. Thank you.
-- Applause