Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In the winter semester of 2014, the Thomas Simpson Secondary School became the first in the Northwest Territories to have its high school students access to the Martin Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program and still is the only school in the NWT to offer this program.
A big and special commendation and thanks to Enbridge Pipelines Inc. and the Department of Education for being the primary sponsors with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative. This foundation is created by none other than our former Prime Minister of Canada, Paul Martin himself.
Since the program began, over 35 students have enrolled. Thirty students completed full business plans and 12 former students have graduated high school. Plans included restaurants, tourism, fish farming, mobile apps and supports in the business service sector. Each course has always ended with the students presenting their business plans to community business leaders in a Dragon’s Den type format and receiving feedback from their ideas.
Exceptional secondary sponsors include the Liidlii Kue First Nations, Dehcho First Nations, Metis Local 52, the Dehcho Divisional Council, department and staff of ITI in Fort Simpson and the mayor of the Village of Fort Simpson.
Students receive business presentations on ideas such as helicopter charters, tourism charters, Parks Canada, e-commerce businesses, green energy businesses and how to manage them. Today the
TSS and teachers are getting requests from schools and school boards, asking how they can be involved in such an exceptional program.
The Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative provides teacher training, student workbooks, course materials and ongoing supports. Paul Martin told the Northern Journal during his visit to Fort Simpson for the first graduating class in May of 2013, the purpose of it is to essentially give young First Nations, Metis and Inuit an opportunity to know what business is all about in order to determine (a) whether they would get into a business when they graduate from high school or (b) just to teach them what the economy is all about.
Since the three years of its operation, I have personally been participating by speaking to each of these classes in the past five semesters.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted