Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to lend my voice today -- what’s left of it -- to celebrating Education Week. Last week Mr. Lafferty called on all NWT residents to help in promoting education this week. I’m very happy to help him do that.
The Minister also stated that learning is a lifelong journey and I couldn’t agree with the Minister more. I’m proud to say that I’m a product of the local school system here in Yellowknife and I’m very grateful for the teachers and the facilities that I had along the way. Now that I have a son that’s at Montessori at N.J. Macpherson, the cycle continues, only this time as a parent.
Schools are the very foundation of the community. I’m very fortunate to have two great schools located in the riding of Kam Lake: Ecole St. Joseph School and N.J. Macpherson. I want to thank all the teachers, administration and support staff at those two schools for all they do for our children and our community.
My vision for the future of educational needs and facilities in this community involves a stand-alone college campus for Aurora College. Ultimately I do believe a university can and should be established somewhere in the North. Currently Canada is the only circumpolar nation without a university located north of the 60th parallel. It’s time to set the course for a stand-alone campus for our college, which is long overdue.
In the foreseeable future, capital dollars are going to be hard to come by. That is why the planning, coordinating and partnerships need to be developed today to get this campus built. We need this campus. Many of our bright, young, talented high school graduates have to go south to post-secondary school. Sadly, some of them stay in the South getting work, finding relationships and taking on their life in southern Canada. By providing an environment with a campus and expanded programs, perhaps we could keep more of our students here at home and our young people here at home.
Again, as this is Education Week, I want to thank all those involved in education around the Territory for all they do for us.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
