I’ll try again. Mr. Minister, I know that the program is funded by the feds. I do know as well that it is supported by the Department of Education, but also know that when non-Aboriginal students apply they are on a very low priority and it totally depends on whether or not there’s any space. My understanding is that there’s some waiting list of about 20, I think, persons trying to get
into the next application for the Underground Miner Training Program. So if anybody wants to get into that and they’re non-Aboriginal, they don’t have a hope.
I also know that as much as a year ago, I think it was March of ‘10 in a presentation to one of the standing committees, De Beers indicated that there needs to be spaces in the training programs for P2s. That’s one of the things that they cite as a challenge to the northern hiring for them as a company. So I understand that it’s a federal program, but what I’m asking for is for this government to make it a priority to enable one or two P2 residents to be able to take the mine training that Aboriginal students do, not with the federal funding but with GNWT funding. Is that a consideration anywhere in the realm of possibility for this Minister? Thank you.