Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the election campaign, I spoke to my constituents about the need for preparation for the proposed Mackenzie gas pipeline. The pipeline discussions have been on the agenda for a number of years in the Beaufort-Delta, and many of my constituents are concerned about the training that will be available. Many of our young people need to be prepared for the anticipated influx of jobs, which will come with the pipeline. The Department of Education should take the lead role in ensuring our young people are trained for the many jobs to come, even though some of these jobs may be really short term.
Mr. Speaker, in my community of Tuktoyaktuk, there are two buildings that can accommodate 100 or more people. These buildings can be used as a training base for people in the Beaufort-Delta region. Mr. Speaker, by utilizing one of these buildings, it would bring people from the Beaufort-Delta region into one community that can accommodate training for our young people. Courses for consideration for training in the Beaufort-Delta for residents are welders, heavy equipment operators, heavy duty mechanics, power engineering, and housing maintenance.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Department of Education and Aurora College to consider utilizing one of the camps in Tuktoyaktuk as a sub-base for training to get our young people ready for the pipeline and other potential projects that will come down the road, such as the potential mining opportunities around the community of Paulatuk. Aurora College considers sitting down with the two owners of the buildings in Tuktoyaktuk to negotiate a contract to utilize the buildings for training. It is time for the government and all of its partners to take action to address the training needs of the people of the Beaufort-Delta. The community of Tuktoyaktuk has the infrastructure to meet that training need. All we need now, Mr. Speaker, is the foresight to rise to the challenge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause