Mr. Speaker, both on the hustings and in this House, I've spoken about the NWT's need to evolve into a knowledge economy. That is the key to breaking the boom-and-bust cycle that prevents the North from transforming into the long-term sustainable economy we are all working so hard to build. Though this government avoids taking the steps required to achieving this, luckily, a group of Northerners is already taking the caribou by the horns, so to speak, in actively building our knowledge economy.
Since its inception in 2009, Dechinta Bush University Centre for Research and Learning has become a flexible, innovative, and responsive institution that is filling the need for a northern university. It should be noted, Mr. Speaker, that Canada is the only circumpolar country without a university in their northern territories, yet the demand for one has long existed and only keeps growing. Last year alone, Dechinta had 104 potential applicants and a mere 30 spaces. They're receiving three times as many applications as they have funding for and cannot meet this ever-growing demand for potential students. Moreover, 97 per cent of those students who are able to attend are Aboriginal, and 72 per cent are women. And, Mr. Speaker, they have an astonishing zero per cent dropout rate and 100 per cent program completion record. They have built this successful record almost purely on their own resources, tenacity, and devotion to higher learning. They could do so much more for our students and our economy if the government supported them with more resources and legislative change.
Dechinta's commitment to building a knowledge economy is unparalleled, and their graduates are already participating in achieving that shared goal, with all of them either having pursued higher education or have entered the labour force. Breaking that down even more, Mr. Speaker, 49 per cent pursued further post-secondary and 57 per cent are employed, 97 of these in the NWT labour force. This clearly demonstrates they are quickly becoming a major contributor to our future economy and social growth, yet they could do so much more. If Dechinta was given both core funding and recognition under the Education Act, they would create 158 new jobs with 153 of those jobs outside of the capital. Mr. Speaker, I speak unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted