Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a season for graduations around the Northwest Territories. I would like to congratulate those who are going through their final stages of formal schooling years. In Inuvik, when I was back home, I had the opportunity to take in three different ceremonies, Mr. Speaker. One of them was the Aurora Campus Certificate and Diploma Programs, where a large number of students had finally come to the completion of their courses and were ready to move on and move into the job market, Mr. Speaker.

As well, I had the opportunity to take part in the graduation ceremonies at the Samuel Hearne Secondary School 2002 class, and again at the Aurora Campus for the adult upgrading, the Nursing Access Program, and the University/College Access Program.

Mr. Speaker, in all of those programs and graduation ceremonies that I attended, I would probably miss a number of the students, but I had an opportunity to speak to them. One thing I stated to them was the importance of their education. That was one of the things that I could look forward to as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, to see some of the work that we do in this forum come to completion, in a sense, that students out there are actually moving through the program and they are graduating and moving on and are being prepared to take on life, so to speak, in the work world and job environment.

Mr. Speaker, it is not done there. They will continue to, as we know, through their life in the Northwest Territories, come back to this government for one program or another, and to depend on our guidance and wisdom as we develop laws and programs in the Northwest Territories. It is important that we continue to work hard in the field of education to ensure that those who are going through our system get the full benefit of the education and the years they put into it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, a quick congratulations to all the students across the North, especially those who come from my community. Thank you.

-- Applause