Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to talk about this motion that's put forward today, the importance of the Literacy Program, the federal cut that we just faced just a couple weeks back. When we toured the communities in the past, last year and this past year, literacy was a big issue as well in the community. We have a lot of people in the community that are non-educated. There might have been some people that went through residential school, but at the same time there are people that fell through the cracks. They're the ones that are lucky enough, like myself, that went off to high school and college. But at the same time, there are people out there in our communities that are facing challenges, literacy challenges. That's why we're here today talking about this motion that I have moved. The importance of reintroducing that to this House again, because I've spoke to it on numerous occasions, Mr. Speaker; the importance and the relevance of reinstating this program. Although we talked in the House here about talking with the federal government and how we can strategize with the three Premiers, it's a start for us, but at the same time I think this motion reiterates that as well, makes it stronger. We all face the community members, the elders, and so we'll hear from them even more when we visit the communities after this session.
When I spoke my language, I talked about the unity, working together. When I questioned the Premier earlier about having our own community governments and aboriginal governments getting involved in the process with resource revenue sharing, we talk about how we can proceed to get some action, results, from negotiations. To date, we haven't seen anything yet. That is why we are stressing to the government sitting in front of us that we need to be involved; the grassroots people we call them, our elders, our negotiators, our leaders from the communities.
With that, Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, there are people out there who cannot stand up here and talk for themselves. We are here elected representing them. They can certainly not read or write, at least 42 percent of them. It varies throughout the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker.
I would just like to stress that, Mr. Speaker, the importance of this motion that is in front of us and how it has a huge impact on the NWT Literacy Council, volunteerism and different programs that were cut as well.
I would just like to point out that the NWT Literacy Council also represents the national literacy organizations such as the Movement for Canadian Literacy. Literacy, again, Mr. Speaker, is very important to us. I just want to elaborate on that. I hope this House will support it and move forward with it and Cabinet take it as a recommendation and move forward with it and how we can work together. Mahsi.
---Applause