Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during our last sitting, on February 7, 2018, I made a Member's statement on the benefits of turning the existing Stanton Hospital into a school for nurses and other workers in the field of homecare. Such an initiative, among other things, will extend the time in which seniors can remain in their homes and their communities. Investing in ideas like this is something I have long advocated for, and it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Today, the Minister of Health announced the use of the existing Stanton Hospital. However, Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of ECE tabled a report, Aurora College Foundational Review, with some findings that I very much agree with regarding higher education in NWT. The review states that now is an opportune time for the GNWT to step back and reconsider the vision of post-secondary education.

Mr. Speaker, I share with you my vision of what some high education in NWT should look like in the future. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times in the House the need for the NWT Housing Corporation to invest in retrofitting seniors' homes to remove physical barriers so that seniors can remain in their home as long as possible. I have also spoken many times in the House about the government's need to spend money strategically. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that investing in a nursing school or homecare training centre, our Territory will see considerable long-term returns.

Mr. Speaker, imagine what benefits a training centre like this could have in the NWT. Not only would our seniors benefit from the pool of northern workers, but also the long-term care facilities and a homecare program in all 33 communities. We would have the NWT residents gaining both education and employment in a field of high demand in our territory. It has potential to eliminate many of our social ills, as I have talked about many times in this House.

Mr. Speaker, in 10 years that I have been an MLA, I have asked the government to spend more strategically, but the government chooses to do the same thing over and over, which is spend money on certain items that have minimum positive impact on the NWT and its residents and slide further and further into debt. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted