?“Success Begins with a Dream: Inspiring and Empowering Youth with a vision.” This was the theme of the 10th annual Youth Aboriginal Council conference in Thompson this past weekend, which I attended. It is a message for all of us.

? ? The YAC at R.D. Parker Collegiate brought together young people from around the North. What was clear was how important vision is to people achieving their dreams. ? ? It starts with the recognition of the importance of young people here in the North. I have always said that young people are not just the future; they are important today. Here in Northern Manitoba this is especially true since we have one of the youngest populations in the country. ? ?We need to do more to provide opportunities for young people in the North. I have been fighting for more recreational programs and facilities for Northern youth. ? ? We need to do a lot more to support education and training for young people. This includes better support for Northern schools and post-secondary education. We need to be working to create more opportunities for young people through community and economic development. ? ? We also need to do more to listen to young people. I am encouraged to see more and more examples of young people in leadership roles throughout the North. Finally, we need to recognize the importance of vision itself. I believe that our vision for the North should be to ensure that every young person in the North can achieve their full potential. This is an ambitious vision but I believe we can achieve it. ?