Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This being Education Week, I would like to wish all educators, parents and students success this week and through the end of the school year.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 21, 2005, I was fortunate to attend the opening of the Akaitcho Technical and Trade Centre in Yellowknife. Although I did not have the time to tour the facilities that afternoon, a quick visual look at the classrooms was very impressive.

Mr. Speaker, larger centres, such as Yellowknife, are fortunate to have corporate sponsorship in donations to facilities such as the Akaitcho Trades and Technical Centre and the Kimberlite Trade and Technical Centre, Mr. Speaker.

I raise this issue, Mr. Speaker, because in smaller communities we do not have the facilities for pre-employment trades for our students. In the Beaufort-Delta there is a mobile introduction to trades training that is offered to the communities of Tsiigehtchic, Fort McPherson, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk, where an instructor travels to these communities to offer, as an example, carpentry.

Mr. Speaker, this is good for communities with road access, but what about communities such as Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Holman? How are they being served for opportunities for introduction to carpentry, electrical and other trades, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, in order for our students to prepare for college or university, or the workforce, it is important schools in smaller communities have facilities such as Akaitcho and Kimberlite trades and technical centres.

Mr. Speaker, I know this government does not have enough funds for capital infrastructure to build facilities in smaller communities, but we should allow all students outside of our large centres a chance for pre-employment trade, when or however this government addresses the needs of smaller communities, to have proper facilities so that they can be exposed to pre-employment trades in preparation for college or university.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, seeing government and industry cannot build trade centres in every community, maybe they could provide some funding for students to travel and take advantage of trade centres outside of their communities, maybe once a week each year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause