Thank you Mr. Speaker. In May of this year I raised the issue of the lack of trades programs in the field of cooking here in the North. At the same time, I also talked about the opportunities and solutions we have right here. However, in typical fashion, it seems that maybe another good idea has been lost in the grumbling bowels of government. What continues to be obvious to me is that there still are many gaps that need to be filled in our trades programming for those who want to learn more.
That is why, more than ever, a Red Seal trades cooking program needs to be supported. There is a hunger out there, Mr. Speaker, to learn, to teach and, most certainly, to be fed. There’s a high demand for certified cooks in our diamond mines, exploration camps and certainly in the food service industry in our communities.
I ask the government: what additional signals are you looking for? Because if you need something to be made more obvious, I’m sure many of us here will get them for you. This sector truly is not being served. The demand for skilled cooks will only increase as government watches maybe even the Mackenzie pipeline go by with no one to train to send to their camps.
We all know there is a camp cook training program at our rural college, but this is an entry level program, Mr. Speaker. It does not provide the necessary training for a fully licensed cook in a Red Seal tradesperson program. I believe we need to extend the cook training program opportunities here in the North. We have the facilities here in Yellowknife; they are just sitting idle waiting for students. We have journeymen, we have journeywomen who want to teach their skills, but we have no government support to back them up, and we certainly won’t have any students for them to teach.
Let’s not waste this opportunity. Government, I hope you’re listening. The potential is sitting idly by. They certainly want to learn. I’ve had the opportunity to take the Education Minister down to see this facility here in Yellowknife, and there is promise, Mr. Speaker. There is certainly promise for the next generation, because it shows that it wants to learn. So let’s unlock these doors, not keep them locked. We have industry that wants to be part of the solution. Where’s the Minister helping them? Bring them to the table, I say.
We have the people, we have the skills, we have the teachers, but we now need government. The next step is easy. Let’s flip into gear before this opportunity boils over and is lost. I will have questions for the Education Minister later today.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.
