Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week is NWT Social Work Week. Today I rise to recognize the valuable contribution of social workers to children, families and communities in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the profession of social work is ultimately centred upon helping and protecting people. Social workers bring their own unique strengths, skills, education and life experience to their jobs. You can find our social workers in hospitals, with the homeless, in treatment centres, women's shelters, elders' facilities, and in the family and children's services system. Their focus is always on ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbours have safe, respectful and nurturing environments.

Communities work in partnership with social workers to address issues that affect the people who live there. Those issues may include domestic violence, elder abuse, disabilities and addictions. Social workers are part of a health and social services team that can offer well-rounded solutions to these problems. They build on family and community strengths and provide supports when needed.

Mr. Speaker, the department and authorities have taken steps to promote the profession of social work within our integrated system.

• • Funding is provided for workers to access professional development.
• • We have added 20 social work positions to our system over the past three years.
• • We have new standards of practice and guidelines of best practices.
• • We support the development of a territorial foster parent association.
• • We have developed resource booklets promoting the profession to both high school students and adults.
• • We have developed an interactive program that is available on CD and on our web site to help people learn more about social work.
• • We attend career fairs to promote social work to high school students. Earlier this week we were in Inuvik, and next week we will attend a career fair in Yellowknife.
• • Social workers helped us to develop a tool kit to promote their profession to people in the communities. The tool kit includes many of the resources I have already mentioned, along with tips to help people talk about their job.
• • We support non-government organizations to provide services and to advocate for community members.

Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for Social Work Week is social work for social justice. Join me in recognizing social workers through the NWT who bring positive social change to NWT families and communities every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause