[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to once again talk about the importance of communities being able to hire properly trained recreation and youth staff. During my campaign, many residents spoke about the lack of things for the youth in their community to do. In general during my follow-up visits to communities, many constituents continue to actively need to have something positive for their youth to do. They talked about on-the-land programs, more sport and recreation programs, and some even said the community should have a swimming pool and a youth centre — a place the youth can call their own.
These concerns are made by all members of the community, including the RCMP, the youth, parents and especially elders of the community. On February 11, I spoke about the importance of communities being able to hire trained recreation and youth staff so the community can properly assess government programs and develop and deliver effective community-based recreation and youth programs for all community members.
However, Mr. Speaker, in my communities, this is not what is happening. Hiring properly trained recreation and youth staff continues to be a challenge because of low pay, little or no volunteer support, cultural differences, lack of government support, and even because of job demands, Mr. Speaker, working evening, weekends and holidays, being overworked and underpaid.
In Fort Resolution they have a recreation coordinator and community recreation assistant position. In Lutselk’e, Mr. Speaker, they have a recreation coordinator and two positions of recreation support workers. All the positions in both communities are filled by local people, and none of these individuals are qualified as a recreation professional. I am sure they are all doing the best they can, and I commend them for taking the task.
My communities are in desperate need of support for finding solutions to the hiring of qualified recreation and youth staff. The ideal situation is to train local people for these positions. They know the community and the people, understand the culture and speak the language. One solution suggested to me by one of my constituents is to develop an apprenticeship-type approach for training recreation coordinators.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.
We are all aware of the success of the trades program. If we can do it for instrumentation, carpentry, and hairdressers, why can’t we do it for recreation coordinators? Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of MACA on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
