Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2007, when I became MLA, one of my first and biggest issues was employment in small communities.
Mr. Speaker, the 16th Assembly made a decision to address issues on employment rates in small communities
Programs like the Community Access Road Program, programs that supported traditional economies, were enhanced. The budgets were tripled, Mr. Speaker. Programs such as single window service and small communities' employment were created.
With these initiatives, employment rates continued to increase gradually to a point where the average is nearly 50 per cent, which is still 20 per cent lower than large communities and almost 30 per cent lower than Yellowknife. In all fairness, Yellowknife has one of the highest employment rates in the country.
Mr. Speaker, this government sharply increased employment programs for small communities, and that was great; however, Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the Minister of Education decided to spread the money to all communities except Yellowknife. Employment rates are derived from participation rates. With the addition of regional centres, we have almost 19,000 people participating for these employment dollars, as opposed to 7,000 in small communities.
Mr. Speaker, we have a committee of small communities' members who have worked for three governments. The government recognizes this is a big issue and has been supporting small communities to increase employment rates.
Mr. Speaker, I am quite concerned with what the Minister's game plan is for the upcoming months. I would like to see more job creation in small communities. I would like to see the Minister focusing on creating jobs in smaller communities so people can remain in their home communities with their children. As I've said many times in this House, employment is the best cure for the social ills we face.
Mr. Speaker, with regards to the major changes to the employment program in the NWT, under whose direction was it to disregard this and pass our successes on for the small communities to all communities?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will seek clarification from the Minister at the appropriate time. Marsi cho.