Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We all hear different things from out there, but I can assure the Member and all Members that work is being done. It is called an Affirmative Action Policy, and we have to apply the Affirmative Action Policy when we are looking at filling positions within the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. There is work that is being done. Thank you.

As I've said, we've been working closely with our departments and trying to get a coordinated effort going and getting call-out for the number of summer students that we'd like to hire, and actually getting a call from the students, as the Member pointed out before. Our summer students are going to be finishing their schooling soon and they usually try to get their applications in a little sooner. So we're working with all our departments and trying to ensure we have a coordinated effort to improve on the numbers that we that we had from last year.

My understanding was there was a program such as that in the past and it kind of fell by the wayside. Maybe it is something that we have to explore and, as we go through the whole budget process and pending the approval of budget, if we have any money left over I suppose that would be one strategic investment that we could make in the future. So it is something that we would like to see, and if it proves valuable then it's probably an initiative that we can carry on into the future, you know, providing that it's fiscally doable.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we hear the Member and we're looking to improve on the numbers that we had from last year. Last year I believe we had 306 summer students who were hired, and we are looking at trying to increase those numbers. We have been in discussions with all the departments and trying to increase the number of summer students that they hire so we can improve on our stats from last year, and we will keep Members apprised as to how many applications we get. We had a number of applications last year; I believe we had about 627 if I'm not mistaken, and out of that we hired...

Mr. Speaker, I'd love to respond to the comment. I've got 25 minutes left to respond to the comment. One of the reasons it fell by the wayside is we need to get buy-in from the private sector. If they think that the government's going to fund summer students to do all their work, there's got to be a buy-in. So it's got to be a partnership that we form with them. Of course, we've looked at all ways within the government to try and realize some savings, including looking at the vacancy rates, and we'll continue to do that.

Again, this is something that we would love to do. We recognize the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 484-18(2): Kam Lake Environmental Assessment." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 17, 2017, I will move that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I said before, our focus will be in the Member's riding this summer working with them to identify some of their needs as far as fuelbreaks go and then work with them. Again, ENR has committed to try to identify any types of funding that we might be able to provide if there is a need for it.