Loading articles...

Right Honourable Paul Martin visits Fort McMurray

Right Honourable Paul Martin (third from left) with members of the Youth Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Initiave and Fort Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam.
The 21st Prime Minister of Canada Paul Martin helped launch the new Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program at Fort McMurray’s Composite High School today.

The new program currently has eight students enrolled.
The program will focus on Aboriginal history and studies as well as economics on First Nations and the impact of Aboriginals on the Canadian economy.
Martin succeeded Jean Chrétien as the leader of the Liberal Party and took office as the Prime Minister on Dec. 12 2003. He would hold that position until 2006. Previous to being the Prime Minister he was the Minister of Finance under Chretien from 1993-2002.
Martin gave a short speech to press and program stakeholders in the morning commenting on the poor graduation rate of Aboriginals from Canadian high schools.
 “It’s a moral issue, that is absolutely unacceptable, but it’s also an economic issue, we’re going to be depend on them for our success. So the better educated they are, the more they understand about the economy and the more they understand about changes in the economy the better of we’re all going to be,” he said.
 “I’ve spent a lot of time in various parts of the world talking about Canadian values, and talking about the huge potential of this country, and I can tell you right now that Canadian vlaues are not being measured up to when the High School drop out rate of indigenous kids is where it is,” Martin said.
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam was on hand as well and followed up on Martin’s comments.
 “There’s nowhere more in the country where skilled labour is needed than Fort McMurray, and one of the things we always say is that the untapped resources that we have are the Aboriginal people,” said Adam.
Martin has been heavily involved in lobbying for improved access to education for Aboriginals after his retirement from Federal politics in 2008. Martin succeeded Jean Chrétien as the leader of the Liberal Party and took office as the Prime Minister on Dec. 12 2003. He would hold that position until 2006.
His Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative program helps fund and bring together stakeholders in communities to improve elementary and secondary school outcomes for Aboriginals.