Mr. Speaker, as one who left school too early and returned to get my grade 12 at the age of 28, I wish to mention a new study.
We have heard that 30 per cent of Canadian youth leave school. However a school leavers survey from September 1993 shows this has improved 18 per cent of 20-year old Canadians not completing high school.
Employment is related to school leaving, with employment in excess of 20 hours per week a big factor. Despite long hours in blue collar and service jobs, hundreds in my riding of Okanagan-Shuswap are attending an alternate education program called "The Open Door", open until 9.30 p.m. weekdays. Since it started three years ago school leavers have completed 338 courses.
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking there. Today on National Literacy Action Day I applaud "The Open Door" and the hard working people walking through it to a better future.