Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has a very bright future. The economic opportunities our Territory possesses in tourism, mining, oil and gas and more are significant.
Mr. Speaker, one of the key priorities of the Government of the Northwest Territories is training and employing our people. But we also know that our population is not large enough to fill all the positions that will be available in the future. That is why in April, the Government of the Northwest Territories launched a major initiative to address that challenge, the Come Make Your Mark Campaign.
This innovative multi-year campaign is designed to increase awareness across Canada of the tremendous career opportunities available in the Northwest Territories in an effort to get Canadians to live and work here long term.
Since it was launched in northern and central Ontario in April, Come Make Your Mark has generated almost 30,000 inquiries, three times as many as expected.
This campaign includes several phases, and phase two was launched on October 6th. In phase two we are targeting post-secondary students across Canada and promoting the job opportunities and the high quality of life the Northwest Territories offers. This phase will run in over 60 universities, colleges and trade schools across Canada.
We are reaching out to post-secondary students in unique ways so our message will have the greatest
impact. We are asking Northwest Territories post-secondary students to talk with their peers about the opportunities the Northwest Territories has to offer. We are also inviting Northwest Territories post-secondary students to be ambassadors for the campaign. As ambassadors they would assist us in promoting the Northwest Territories at the job fairs we are attending to promote our Territory.
Other promotional efforts include advertising in campus newspapers and through posters. We will also continue to provide information about the campaign on the Come Make Your Mark website, Facebook page, and Twitter.
One of the innovative aspects of this phase of the campaign is the introduction of Mark. Mark is planning regional visits throughout the Northwest Territories over a four-week period, which started in early October. Mark has been to Hay River and will be travelling to Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok and Norman Wells.
During Mark’s travels he will discover job opportunities, experience the lifestyle and mingle with his peers who have made the move to the Northwest Territories. Mark will Twitter, blog, and relate his experiences on his Facebook page and on the campaign website. By using these social media tools, we hope to continue to spread the word amongst post-secondary students about all the Northwest Territories has to offer.
The government understands the labour force challenges our businesses are facing. Through initiatives like the Come Make Your Mark Campaign we are taking important steps to address this challenge.
We all want an economy that is diversified and one that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. This campaign is an important way for the Northwest Territories to make its mark amongst Canadians and to let them know how they can be a part of the prosperous, vibrant future that we envision for this Territory.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
