Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of recent developments with Aurora College and the announcement of the ending of two important programs for students enrolled in the education faculty, specifically in regards to the Social Work Diploma program.

In the 2014-15 fiscal year, 25 first-year students registered for this program. Out of those, six students graduated with diplomas and six graduates were hired or offered jobs immediately after ending their program. In fact, in the overall education program's division, full-time student enrolment has increased by 28 per cent in 2015-16. These are hopeful and positive results that there is traction for this program.

We have heard that enrolment is low and graduation rates are low as well, which is part of the rationale for terminating this. It seems like there is a lot of uptake and certainly a lot of interest currently from members of the public who are concerned about these changes. I, too, am concerned, Mr. Speaker. However, we have to look at the overall impact of the college. The college currently receives the bulk of our post-secondary education funding, yet full-time enrolment has decreased significantly, as have graduation rates.

These millions of dollars to support these anemic outcomes are awarded year on year, and yet now the college is increasing tuition by $300 a year over the next two years, adding to the cost of living of students who have limited means to begin with.

For an institution that is supposedly at arm's length, Mr. Speaker, the Minister has enormous influence, including appointing the president and governors and more recently giving direction directly to the college. This is an opportunity for us to use this resource and properly to fund it.

Again, I call on the Minister to complete the strategic plan and start getting Aurora College moving in the right direction. We have seen College nordique have an exponential growth in interest. We have seen Dechinta University bring in half a million dollars from the federal government. Our private sector partners are doing well. Northerners want to learn. We need to make Aurora College a world-class institution, and we need to keep working on that, Mr. Speaker. I encourage, again, the Minister to work on the strategic plan and get it on the table in this House without delay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.