Debates of October 30, 2006 (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we stand in here all the time and we speak on the resources of the Northwest Territories, and we are a territory rich in resources. But, Mr. Speaker, I think one of our most precious resources in the Northwest Territories are the children in the Northwest Territories. That’s why, Mr. Speaker, I’ve stood in this Chamber before and I’ll stand here again and argue the point that the Children First Society in Inuvik needs to have a centre built as part of the new school.

It’s a proven fact, Mr. Speaker, that children who get a good start in their schooling and in their teaching make better citizens, more useful. We talk so much about the vandalism and all the trouble that’s been going on in the Northwest Territories with regards to young people, and having a centre, I believe, would help with some of them. They’ll learn to respect property, they’ll learn to respect each other, and they’ll integrate into the school a lot easier because they have a good head start. We have a chance here, Mr. Speaker, to shape some of the future leaders.

There’s an old saying, Mr. Speaker, that you reap what you sow and I firmly believe that if we plant the seeds now, years from now we’re going to have a fruitful harvest and we’re going to have some useful children in the Northwest Territories become good contributing adults. As it stands right now, a lot of people across the Northwest Territories have lost a lot of parenting skills and this is something that we desperately need to work on again.

We expect these people to continue to try and raise money and I really think, Mr. Speaker, that it’s time this government starts putting some of its priorities in the proper places. One of those priorities should be an investment into the children of the NWT. Thank you.

---Applause