Mr. Speaker, yesterday I tabled a report by the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning which is an Indigenous-centered educational institution based here in the Northwest Territories. It integrates traditional knowledge and land-based learning into post-secondary education.

The report describes the results of a three-year study to determine what are the economic benefits of investing in Indigenous-centered adult education. Surveys and interviews were conducted with Dechinta students, alumni, staff, and elders to gather information on their educational goals and achievements, labour market participation, health, mental health, and life satisfaction.

The report focuses on the return on investment, specifically for Indigenous students living in the North. Now, unsurprisingly, both students and employed elders reported improvements in their health and mental health, but what is more remarkable is the concrete social and financial impacts that were documented. The report found that if you have a community where more Indigenous adults get even one year of post-secondary education, the all-cause mortality in that community -- so the number of deaths -- can be reduced by 9 percent. The estimated marginal tax revenue for just one cohort of Dechinta students is $3.6 million per year due to the increased labour market participation.

Yesterday I was talking about how adult education should not be treated as a remedial program that highlights someone's failures to graduate from high school. Instead, it can be transformative. And that's exactly what Dechinta is trying to do. Beyond individual literacy, beyond even family-based literacy, this is community-based literacy in action. The learning semesters involve everyone together out on the land, you have adult students along with elders, and even children's programs alongside them.

Now, Dechinta does not replace the need for other post-secondary options and the kinds of programs that are offered by colleges and polytechnic institutes and universities. Where Dechinta has been very effective is as a gateway for adults to build confidence that they do belong in secondary learning and they don't need to leave culture, community, and traditional knowledge behind to gain further education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.