Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, before the break, I did mention that we are trying these different access trades programs in the high schools in Fort Resolution, Hay River and Fort Providence. I think it is important that we are working with Education to see how we can expand the trades programs. Again, we have been talking to ATCO and also other companies we are working with to identify training as one of the components of our business relationships. I think it is also important that there is real opportunity, especially in the small communities, for going into the trades program because of the number of duties that it provides. Even at ATCO's request, they are looking for 70 people right now. They were asking us if we knew anybody in the North who is willing to go to Calgary and work in the plant. I think there are companies in the same scenario. I think it is important that we do work on this, but I think, for ourselves, even as a Housing Corporation, we realize we need a lot of people even in our local housing operations, people with the different trades tickets, from carpenters to electricians. We do have to work with communities, with the different departments, Education, and basically formulate some program that we can work on to ensure that young people are able to get into the trades, but also given the skills that they will require to get them there.
We are committed to expand the Trades Access Program. I mentioned it in my community visits. I have mentioned it to committees that we are looking at expanding the program that we presently have in Hay River to other high schools in the territory and to offer this as an opportunity for the high schools to provide such a program in regards to the Trades Access Program. In order to meet the demands, we are looking at in the future. I think we have to get to the younger people in our high schools and our communities and offer them an alternative to business opportunities which includes trades.
We are open to that. We have been talking to community leaders and different educators. Again, that opportunity is there and it is there for the taking. Thank you.