Debates of October 24, 2006 (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in the House to congratulate the recent Aurora College Graduates in the Sahtu.

Mr. Speaker, all these students should be proud of their achievements. They are most impressive, considering the Norman Wells Aurora College program is delivered out of a decrepit 20 by 50 foot ATCO trailer. A crying shame, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to recognize the graduates from the Kitchen Helper Program: from Norman Wells, Kyla Green, Yi Beng, Chen, Robin Lu, Dean Neyanda; from Fort Good Hope, Chelsey Gully; from Deline, Tanya Modeste, Conrad Modeste; from Tulita, Jonathan Yakeleya.

The graduates from the Heavy Equipment Operators Program are: from Norman Wells, Mr. Kochon, Daniel Jackson, Peter Kubrakovich; Deline, Tyrone Yukon, Harry Beyonnie, Aarron Lee Mackeinzo; in Fort Good Hope, Nicholas Tobac, Clarence Gardebois, Joseph Furlong, Amanda Kelly.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all the Members of the Legislative Assembly to join me in congratulating these graduates and wishing them success. I also hope my colleagues will join me in urging this government to put a proper Aurora College facility in Norman Wells. That would make the people of the Sahtu very proud and continue to support them in their education endeavours in terms of making a contribution to the Northwest Territories, to the economy, to build capacity and to show the people in the Sahtu region that when business is ready to go ahead with the pipeline or any other exploration, our young leaders are ready to go, they’re willing to help, but we need some proper facilities in that region instead of a 20 foot by 50 foot ATCO trailer that is also known as…I don’t know what kind of words I can put to the trailer that we have there, but it’s deplorable, Mr. Speaker, and I think this government should step up to the plate, as the students have done, just to finish off this graduation program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause