Bob McLeod

This is another important step in the process to getting the pipeline constructed. The next big step is to get the two parties, the federal government and the pipeline proponents, together to negotiate and finalize a fiscal framework.

I want to emphasize that the proponents are not looking for subsidies. What they are looking for is loan guarantees so that the constructors of the pipeline will get some assistance with financing and that the pipeline will go ahead. We also have to finalize an access and benefit agreement with one of the Aboriginal governments. That will put us well on our way to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two Pages from Yellowknife South: Monique Chapman and Stephanie Thibault, and also all the Pages who have worked here through this session. Also a constituent of Yellowknife South, Mr. Barry Taylor.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To deliver effective programs and services to the people of the Northwest Territories, the government requires a public service staffed by skilled employees. The goal in 20/20: A Brilliant North, the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan, is to provide effective human resource tools which allows managers to have the right people in the right jobs at the right time.

To further this goal, I am pleased to announce that by the end of March 2011 the final phases of e-Recruit, the government’s on-line electronic recruitment and staffing system, will be launched.

Implementation of...

Our government has a number of checks and balances to make sure that doesn’t happen. We also have the conflict of interest requirements and all of these checks and balances that would prevent against nepotism. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Human Resources works very closely with the management of all the different departments to make sure that policies are followed and that the candidates that have the most merit and have the highest priorities of this government get hired for specific jobs.

We’ve looked at our hiring process. We looked at our job evaluation process to try to eliminate the systemic barriers that are either perceived or that have seen to be out there to prevent Aboriginal people from getting into jobs at different levels. We’re told that we put in barriers by demanding very specific qualifications or...

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, we have met with the Yukon and we are basically following the approach that the Yukon government has taken. We are developing a disabilities framework that we will be rolling out this coming year and as well as any programs that we can access money, we will be sure to pursue it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are not averse to incorporating the best practices that are out there. That was the reason we approached the Yukon government, because they are seen as having one of the best diversity programs. I would expect that we would have been aware of that program. I will find out where we are at in terms of applying for money through that program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are intending to do, to work with the institutions and the government and so on. Most of them have started already and we want to maximize that kind of food. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are in the process of identifying those areas. We have received federal funding as part of our Growing Forward initiative which would look at things like muskox, wood bison and, of course, Great Bear Lake obviously has a lot of fish, so those are the areas that we would be looking at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize another MacLeod in the House. I’d like to recognize Lisa MacLeod, the MPP for Ontario, Nepean-Carleton, who works out of Queens Park. She’s the official opposition critic for revenue and government accountability. I’d also like to recognize a constituent of mine from Yellowknife South, Emily Stevenson. Thank you.