Debates of October 13, 2005 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement is on the Norman Wells Aurora College. Recent statistics on employment rates by the highest level of schooling demonstrates the importance of education. The employment rate for people with university degrees is over 90 percent in the Northwest Territories for 2004. For people with other certificates or diplomas it was over 85 percent. These statistics drop to 80 percent for people with high school only to less than 50 percent for people with Grade 9 to Grade 11, and to less than 35 percent for people with less than Grade 9 education.

As the late former President John F. Kennedy said: "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource." There are lots of present and future job opportunities in Norman Wells that the local people can benefit and take advantage of; however, they need infrastructure for a proper facility to provide quality education.

In the Aurora College Annual Report 2003-2004, under the president’s report there was mention of the evaluations of the programs offered by Aurora College to be very good. However, they did not mention about any type of evaluation of the facilities. Under the regional highlights in the 2003-2004 Aurora College Annual Report they talk about a beautiful facility being built in Inuvik. There is no mention of the old, falling apart, cramped ATCO trailer in Norman Wells. Community learning centres do not have to be fancy or state of the art, but they should be an inviting place that encourages students and people thinking about becoming students to spend some time there; enough space and equipment to allow people to concentrate on their studies and work. With the recent Minister’s statements about the energy initiatives by this government, let’s put those words into action. If you build it, they will come. Mahsi.

---Applause