La Ronge, Saskatchewan - 30 July 2014
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon, everyone.
It’s great to be here with you in the La Ronge area and great to be visiting Rob Clarke’s riding.
I know we all see firsthand, Michelle and I, how hard he works representing you in Ottawa and I’m happy to see firsthand this area that he loves so much.
So give him all a big hand for what he’s doing.
I also want to thank the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of Western Economic Diversification, for her kind introduction and also for coming to join us here today.
We really appreciate your presence, Michelle.
Greetings as well and thanks for his kind words to my former colleague and long-time friend, Jeremy Harrison, who’s from that title seems to become the Minister of everything here in the province of Saskatchewan.
Greetings to Mayor Sierzycki, to Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and to all the other local representatives of municipal and First Nations governments who are with us today.
And of course my thanks to Northlands College and to President Toby Greschner for hosting us this afternoon and thank you to everyone here, students, instructors, everybody for being here today.
Now you all know very well that Northern Saskatchewan in all of its rugged glory has been a centre of trade, commerce and industry longer than Canada’s been a country.
Almost a century before Confederation, the renowned explorer, trader and map maker Peter Pond was doing business with First Nations in this area.
That is when he wasn’t busy discovering the oil sands.
And of course he was far from the first to see the bounty amid the beauty of this part of the country.
There is a tradition of enterprise and exploration with deep roots here.
This is of course the wider story of the west, just as it is the wider story of Canada.
And from hunting and trapping in Peter Pond’s day, to tourism, sport fishing and mining today, from the abundance of the land to the riches beneath our feet, the prosperity of this region and its people has always been linked to the wealth of its natural resources.
Today throughout Saskatchewan there is really much to celebrate.
I just continually marvel at how much this province has changed and progressed during the course of my political career.
Business now is more than good.
Business is genuinely booming.
Saskatchewan has had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada for a year and a half.
It’s been among the provinces leading the country in economic growth for many years.
In many industries wages are of course at an all-time high, but especially in mining.
So let’s look right here at Northern Saskatchewan.
This region already produces, at least the far portion of this region, already produces a significant amount of the world’s uranium.
In fact the mining, the mines and the mines throughout this area are rich enough to provide well-paying jobs to people here for decades to come.
As a result, Saskatchewan needs thousands of new skilled workers to keep pace with this boom.
We’ve heard time and time again that a shortage of skilled workers is the number-one barrier to growth and competitiveness for Canadian businesses, not just in Saskatchewan but in many parts of the country.
In that regard President Greschner and your team here at Northlands College are doing a great job.
You’re preparing the people of Northern Saskatchewan, including these students with us here today, to meet this challenge.
Which brings us to the reason for our visit.
Our Government is committed to promoting the development of a skilled workforce, to helping Canadians get the training they need to benefit from the opportunities that are available to them, and to helping Canadians learn the skills they need to prosper in a rapidly changing world.
So today I’m very pleased to announce that along with industry partners, we are making a substantial investment right here at Northlands College.
Our funding will support the purchase of the College’s new hard-rock drilling simulators and the construction of a building to house that equipment.
It will also be used to help create the new Northlands College Mine School.
And, my friends, I understand we are celebrating the launch of that new mine school today.
So congratulations to the College.
As you know the mining industry provides some of the highest-paying jobs in the province.
In fact, almost twice the weekly average wage.
And this investment will make sure that the people of Northern Saskatchewan have access to the training they need to fill those jobs.
It will ensure that the businesses driving this incredible success story have access, have the access to the workers they need to keep thriving and growing here.
Now to the early explorers and traders like Peter Pond, this area was an important place, an important point on the route to prosperity.
Well, it remains so for the students here today.
This investment is also in keeping with our Government’s longstanding commitment to fostering economic development in all parts of our country, including our rural and northern areas.
It is in keeping with our commitment to providing opportunity for all Canadians.
Investments like this are good for local economies, they are good for our communities, and they are good for our families.
And our Government knows what Canadians have always known, that what is good for our families and communities makes this country stronger.
So once again, thank you for hosting us and best of luck to everybody here.
Thank you.
