Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will support the motion brought forward by Mr. Yakeleya and Mr. Hawkins today. However, I think that if we think that having three teachers in a small community for grades 10, 11, and 12 is going to result in the, I don’t know, some utopia in education, I think we’re sadly mistaken.

The fact of the matter is that it would be an improvement and, therefore, it should be an option. I, as a parent and as a representative of many other parents, believe that what would be best for the students would be options. By the time a student gets to grade 10, 11, 12, maybe it’s time for a change of scenery, if that were an option. Maybe it is time to get to a larger centre in a larger community where there are more sports

opportunities and more part-time work available, more interaction with a larger body of students. I think we as a government should make options available.

Like I said, I support the motion. I think it is a step in the right direction, but I think with that, there need to be options for students who do want to pursue other things. There are many students in Hay River, even the community of a size of the school in Hay River, that still need to go for upgrading. Many, many still do need to go for upgrading. Like I said, I support it, but I think we as a government need to think. We sometimes associate going someplace else for high school with the proverbial residential school. I know from experience, my own children came out of Hay River to a larger centre like Yellowknife around the time they were 14 years old. Jordan graduated from St. Pat’s; Jeffrey came here for Grade 11; Jillian came here when she was 14. It was a very positive impact on them to have more access to different types of subjects, a larger group and more opportunities. I will support the motion.