Inuvik (Oct 06/03) - Aboriginal leaders in the Mackenzie Delta hope to cash in on a new national training fund announced Friday.

NWT MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew unveiled the five-year $85 million Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (AESP) program.

She said the economy needs more skilled labour and aboriginals need more education to compete in a market where trades are tops.

"There are opportunities for aboriginal people but these jobs won't be there if we don't act now," Blondin-Andrew told a small audience at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex Friday.

The new initiative will provide funding for aboriginal training-to-retention plans like literacy programs for major developments and resource-based projects like the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline.

Nellie Cournoyea, chair and chief executive officer of the Inuvialuit Development Corporation and a member of the NWT Aboriginal Summit Leadership Forum, said enhancing job skills will be a top priority.

"We're only sad we don't have a proposal to hand to you today," she said.

Mary Ann Ross, vice president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, said the summit membership hopes regional aboriginal governments will be able to administer the funding.

"We do not need another government program that is centrally controlled and consequently fails to meet its goal of assisting aboriginal people," she said.

Human Resources Development Canada will accept proposals until Nov. 21, 2003.

A successful applicant should have a partnership project with industry and community that will provide a minimum of 50 long-term jobs for aboriginal people.