Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. February 14th to the 18th is Aurora College Week, and this year there is a lot to celebrate. Throughout the week, the college will continue to hold events to celebrate its vital role in post-secondary and adult education and training in the Northwest Territories.
This year there are 412 full-time students attending a variety of programs through Aurora College, including adult basic education, trades and technology programs, and career and professional programs. Graduates of these programs have the opportunity to further their studies at universities through partnerships the college has arranged over a number of years. Graduates are also getting jobs across the North. The development of a northern workforce is an important goal of our post-secondary system.
I mentioned in my opening that there is a lot to celebrate and I would like to cite a number of examples of achievements. The college has recently received an award for its Diamond Polishing program, the Yves Landry Award for Educational Innovation. The Yves Landry Foundation provides the opportunity for business, education and government to collectively be part of the solution to advance technological education and skills training in order to resolve the skilled labour shortages facing Canadian industries.
A number of Aurora College students have also been recognized recently for excellence in their fields of study.
The Governor General's Academic Medal was awarded to John McKinnon from Fort Smith. The Governor General's medal is awarded to an Aurora College student with the highest academic achievement. John McKinnon is enrolled in the Natural Resources Technology Program at Thebacha Campus.
Steven Bounds from Norman Wells received the In-course Millennium Excellence Award. This award supports students who are beginning post-secondary studies for the first time and who have demonstrated academic achievements, community involvement, the ability to lead and motivate others and an interest in innovation and academic achievement.
The CN Scholarship for Women, which encourages women to seek careers in trades and technology, was awarded to Brenda Kikoak of Inuvik, currently enrolled in the Natural Resources Technology Program at Aurora Campus.
Finally, the Enbridge Pipeline Scholarship was awarded to two Aurora College students: Ericson Sanguez from Jean Marie River, and Rebecca Jumbo from Trout Lake.
In addition to all of these awards, the college is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Northern Nursing Program at the Yellowknife Campus. Over 120 nurses have graduated from the program and many of them have found jobs in the NWT. The Diploma in Nursing, which was completely developed and delivered in the NWT, has recently partnered with the University of Victoria and the Collaborative Nursing Project of British Columbia to deliver a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing; BSN. The
entire degree program is now offered in Yellowknife and will see its first graduates in 2006.
In closing, I invite Members of this House to join the college in celebrating Aurora College Week. Thank you.
---Applause