Belledune has a great deal of unrealized potential. The cost of all of this unrealized potential is that we continue to lose opportunities that would be within our grasp if we could only prioritize the future above nostalgia for the past or immediate comforts of the present. That’s what education is. Embarking on a journey of discovery and improvement, challenging oneself to become more.
It can be challenging. Whether it is learning a new skill, getting into the habit of studying for the first time in over a decade or forcing yourself to learn a new language. The very idea of these tasks can be intimidating, but I truly believe that everyone would agree that they are never worseoff having learned something new.
I believe that government is meant to help the people who need it. We do this in part, by delivering the services that people need but are not feasible to receive on an individual or private basis. In short, we come together as a group to fund breakfast programs, pave roads, and provide opportunities for people in rural areas to improve their lives.
I’ve lived in communities that have gone through booms and busts. And in the busts, they bet on themselves. By negotiating cost sharing models with pertinent provincial and federal agencies we can begin to build the foundations for a Rural NB Education and Training Network that will empower our community to withstand the hard times, and provide us with the skills take full advantage of the good times.