Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleagues will recall how many times I have stood up in this House and talked about the condition and the need for upgrading at the Diamond Jenness Secondary School in Hay River. Well, I’m happy to report today that progress is being made.

I do thank my colleagues for their support for a motion that we made on the floor of this House to try to work together to expedite the money and the processes involved in trying to get this project underway as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the local district education authority in Hay River who has been working very hard with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to conclude the program review of what needs to happen in the school and how the renovations or how the program should be reflected in those upgrades.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, for his trips to Hay River and his attention to this pressing need. I would also like to thank the Minister, the Honourable Michael McLeod, as Minister of Public Works and Services, for his attention to this matter and with working with us to bring this project to fruition.

Mr. Speaker, the economy in all of our communities right now is in uncertain times. We have been looking towards a creative way of approaching this project, which would allow many of the benefits to remain in the community, and we have very capable contractors and subcontractors in Hay River. So that is something else that is being discussed. So this could be very much a timely win/win situation not only for the government, but also for the community of Hay River as we move forward on this project.

So, again, my thanks very much to my colleagues, to the DEA in Hay River, to the two Ministers who are responsible for this and to the people who are willing to put some creative thoughts together on how we can see this project potentially accomplished in a more expedited fashion because, Mr. Speaker, the students and the educators at the Diamond Jenness Secondary School deserve no less than a proper place to teach and a proper place to be educated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.