Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has a commitment to building a strong northern workforce and also fulfilling its strategy to maximize northern employment. As such, we have summer student hiring as an important priority. On average over the past eight years we’ve hired about 315 summer students. Last year we hired 263 students. This year we’re hoping to meet our objective of 263. To date we’ve hired 82 summer students and have 42 job offers out there for a total of 124. Thank you.

Yes I would, Mr. Chair.

I do, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Territorial Parks Act to authorize the superintendent to prohibit a person who has been charged with certain offences or has unpaid fines under the act from entering certain territorial parks. Amendments will also authorize the court to impose an order prohibiting a person convicted of certain offences under the act from entering territorial parks.

The bill also amends the act to authorize the making...

We’ll provide that information to the Member. Thank you.

Normally what is causing the delays is summer students not registered with the program, so that results in a delay. Having said that, the demand exceeds the supply. Usually we have 600 students apply for summer employment and, like I say, our objective this year is to try to match last year’s number of 268. So we’re having situations where we’re having to interview summer students for jobs and so on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize all the nominees to the Education Hall of Fame. In particular I want to recognize Ed Jeske. I’ll have to bow to him every time I see him now with all of his nominations.

Also Ethel Blondin-Andrew, a fellow student at Grandin College for many years, and her husband, Leon Andrew.

Margaret Field, another Fort Providencer from way back.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With me I have Tom Williams, the deputy minister of Human Resources, on my left; and to my right, Mark Aitken, the director of legislation with the Department of Justice.

The Public Service Act currently allows for the appointment of three staffing review officers from outside of the public service to hear appeals of appointments made by competition. Staffing review officers provide an independent review of the competition process by determining whether procedural fairness occurred in the application of applicable legislation, regulations, policies, directives and procedural guidelines.

Under policy and regulation, staffing appeals have time limits for a response. Delays can prolong competitions in hiring of qualified candidates, which can result in interruption...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, the Public Utilities Act is amended to permit the Minister to request that the Public Utilities Board advise the Minister on matters he or she may specify, and to provide that the Executive Council may issue directives to the board respecting policies to be applied by the board in the determination of its orders, decisions and rules.

The act is further amended to authorize the making of regulations governing the information to be...