Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week is Skilled Trade and Technology Week in the Northwest Territories. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about skilled trades and high-tech careers. In fact, this year marks the 50th anniversary of apprenticeship training and certification in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, in the coming years the entire country will face a shortage of skilled workers. We’re witnessing a major transition to the so-called knowledge economy that relies on a well-trained and highly educated workforce to deliver value-added services.
Here in the Northwest Territories, new mining projects are projected and devolution will attract new investment. The economic outlook released by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment predicts that by the year 2020 our workforce will increase by more than 2,000 jobs.
Mr. Speaker, segments of our population are undereducated and under-skilled and just plain unprepared for these new job opportunities. If these young people don’t have the necessary skills, they won’t be employable. So it’s vital that we support our homegrown talent and young people.
With this in mind, I’d like to congratulate the top 10 achieving apprentices from Hay River, and they are having a ceremony today at the Education, Culture and Employment office in Hay River which, unfortunately, my colleague and I are unable to attend but wanted to congratulate them from us today.
Austin Larocque, an automotive service technician working for De Beers Canada;
Cameron Sapp, a heavy equipment technician within the GNWT’s Department of Transportation;
David Nolan, a carpenter working for Arctic Canada Construction;
John Dahl, an electrician apprenticing for Zapped Electric;
John Pidhirniak, a plumber and gasfitter working with Taylor and Company,
Daniel Richards, power line technician with Northland Utilities NWT Limited;
Michael Young, a gasfitter working for Stittco Energy Limited;
Michael Giesbrecht, a welder with Concept Energy Services; and
Tristan Campbell, an industrial mechanic and millwright working with the Diavik Diamond Mines.
So, Mr. Speaker, later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on what our government is going to do to have more young people in the trades and receiving the kind of training that they need, and I’ll be also bringing into that the fact that Hay River has a beautiful trades shop. Maybe we need a centre of excellence for trades training for our young high school students.
I’d just again like the House to join me in congratulating these accomplished young people in their success to date. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
MEMBER'S STATEMENT ON
UNITED WAY NWT
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Twelve years ago a small group of people came together in Yellowknife to create a new branch of the United Way, or Centreaide. They were inspired by the good work the United Way does in other parts of Canada and they wanted to see this same good work happen here in the North, and so United Way Yellowknife was born.
The promise of the United Way came to fruition thanks to generous donors, and tens of thousands of dollars was invested in community projects. In 2012 the United Way Yellowknife board decided to extend its reach to the whole territory and it became United Way NWT.
Staff of the Government of the Northwest Territories right now are in the midst of an annual United Way fundraising campaign. GNWT employees are being invited to sign up to donate to the United Way through payroll deductions.
Mr. Speaker, I donate this way and it’s an easy way to give. Staff’s donations are recorded on their T4 for easy tax return preparation, and donors can designate their donations to specific registered charities or to the general fund of the United Way NWT.
The funding priorities for the United Way NWT are focused on healthy people, healthy communities, helping kids be all they can be, and moving people from poverty to possibility. Last year the United Way NWT gave over $50,000 to 16 different projects impacting residents territory-wide.
Here’s a couple of projects: funding from the United Way enabled the Foster Family Coalition to purchase two new propane stoves for their summer camp, Camp Connections, an outdoor camp for children who receive social services. Many of the children from across the NWT have said being able to go to camp is a highlight not only for the summer but for their whole year.
United Way NWT also supports the NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group. This group of volunteers provides ongoing support for breast cancer survivors by offering them creative opportunities to connect and express themselves. Funding from the United Way NWT paid for facilitators to present two breast cancer survivor workshops earlier this year.
These projects are just two of 16 projects that were funded last year. Many of these projects wouldn’t happen at all without the United Way NWT. Right now United Way NWT is working to sign up new donors via payroll deduction campaigns in their work places. The goal of the current United Way NWT campaign is to raise $65,000 to give away for community projects in 2015.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
I’m proud to say that I have been a long-time United Way donor and it’s good to see that the Premier, also a committed donor, is the honourary campaign chair. Others in this House are also United Way donors, and good on you, I say. If you are not a United Way donor, I challenge you to start, and start this year. Get the form, sign up for payroll deductions. It’s easily done. Ask me, I will fill it in for you. You will be donating to your constituents and to your communities, and as the slogan says, change starts here. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
