Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, education has been a large focus of our work in the House over the past two weeks, and we've also talked a fair bit about the importance of choice for parents and for students. I'll be continuing on this theme today.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in my riding have come to me with concerns about policies affecting their children, their children's ability to learn and to choose the course of their own education. The Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council's policy says that, when a child enrols in a language class, for example, to learn Gwich'in or Inuvialuktun, that the child is required to register in one or the other, based on whether they are registered as Gwich'in or Inuvialuit.
In my riding, residents have varied backgrounds. In Aklavik, for example, the community is roughly half Gwich'in and half Inuvialuit. Parents in the community feel that the choice to register their children in one language class or another should be their decision, not decided based on council policy. In southern communities, language instruction often responds to parent and student choice. Students can choose to enrol in French, Spanish, or in another language class, where that's available. Mr. Speaker, let's not forget that parents, grandparents, and family are a child's first teachers. Their wisdom and guidance can't be counted out. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I hope that we can work together to find a solution that pleases all parties and extends more than one option to parents and students in the Beaufort Delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.