Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank all of my colleagues who spoke in support of this motion. It’s great to see Members on both sides of the House in support of such an important motion.
The ASEP program is a nationally managed, opportunity-driven and project-based program that promotes increased participation of Aboriginal people in major economic developments. It achieves this through a collaborative approach of Aboriginal, private sector, and provincial and territorial partnerships. The program supports multi-year training strategies developed by Aboriginal organizations and industry employers leading to long-term, skilled jobs for Aboriginal people in existing and emerging economic opportunities.
The ASEP program has been a major success in Canada and the Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Nunavut. It moves Aboriginal Northerners from social assistance, unemployment and
underemployment to full-time and well-paying jobs. The successful strategy will ensure that this level of partnership and success has an opportunity to continue.
As I’ve said, by way of this motion we are strongly urging the Government of Canada to develop and announce a successor strategy for the ASEP program, which will ensure that our local organizations, in partnership with local industry, can continue to train Aboriginal Northerners for employment in mining, transportation, construction and petroleum exploration sectors. I hope Ottawa is listening.
I also request a recorded vote.