Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will it be before students arrive home this summer?

Thank you. When will that consideration be made?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what our government intends to do when university students arrive home this summer looking for work if, in fact, the funding is not continued?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. I am aware of a program this government has and this department carries out called the Working Together Program, which I believe had a budget of a million dollars last year. This program helps employers hire summer students when they arrive home from university. I am wondering if that program is ongoing and will again be in place this summer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I have waited some ten years to stand up here today in this House and talk about student financial assistance, so I am going to take that opportunity here today.

-- Applause

Thank you. Had I known that I would be here today, I guess I would have taken better notes, but I think I have a pretty good memory, so I hope my colleagues will indulge me.

I think the reality of student financial assistance in the Northwest Territories today is that we have some good news and we have some bad news. The good news is that ten years ago, when I first set out on my way to attend university in the south, I think you almost needed a degree to figure out how to apply for student financial assistance. A lot has changed. The administration has worked hard to streamline the process for students, and I think they have done a good job. We are almost there. We still have some things to change and some things to improve, but we are getting better.

The bad news though, Mr. Speaker, is that ten years ago, when I set out to university, the rates for student financial assistance were exactly the same as they are today. In the meanwhile though, we have seen tuition at southern institutions double and even triple. I think we can all see the rates are no longer acceptable. If you were to poll students who were leaving university ten years ago and asked them how many of them were leaving for financial reasons, it would have been a small proportion. But judging from the number of letters and calls I have received on this, I think that proportion is rapidly rising.

Today, I would like to take this opportunity to insist that this government do something about student financial assistance that will result in us putting more money in the pockets of students, and I would like to insist that we need to do that quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to congratulate you on being elected to your new position. I think you are going to do a great job. I think everybody in this room and in the gallery knows you are the natural choice, so it is nice to see you in that position.

I would also like to extend my congratulations to our new Premier-elect, Mr. Stephen Kakfwi and his new Cabinet. Mr. Kakfwi, I believe you truly are the man for the job and I am excited about working with you.

I have to thank all of the constituents of Yellowknife South for placing their trust and faith in me. It is an important responsibility that I have, and it is something I will not take lightly. I will work hard to do the best I can for you and work to the best of my ability.

There is one thing I would like to say. I was very encouraged to hear Mr. Kakfwi's words the other day when he mentioned we will make education a priority in the coming years. I know we cannot get into specifics, but I would like to encourage our government today to get back to the table with the NWTTA and work out a solution.

I know we are all aware of the tight fiscal situation we are facing, but I think we have to view education as an investment. Our negotiations with the NWTTA should be looked at as an investment in our children and our future. Thank you very much.

-- Applause