Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I've been getting a number of calls like this lately just because of the meetings that are happening in the communities, and people are very concerned. You know, what we seem to be doing is pitting Indigenous people against Indigenous people and others as well.

So, Madam Speaker, will the Minister confirm the rationale and the criteria used to support the need for this review and potential replacement of the current policy with two distinct policies, being the Indigenous employment policy and employment equity policy, when the whole intent is to increase...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, prior to 1989, this government recognized the inequity with respect to Indigenous representation in the GNWT public sector. In an attempt to address that inequity, the government of the day drafted the affirmative action policy. It was meant to place Indigenous people into public sector workforce. Madam Speaker, thirty plus years later we are still talking affirmative action and saying how it has not worked.

Madam Speaker, this government committed to a review of the affirmative action policy and in doing so set up the advisory committee on diversity and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, and that's good to hear that at least you're looking at ways to kind of reduce that cost and get it within budget because I know in Hay River there are a number of people with compromised roofs on their houses and with that, you know, they've been tarped for a couple years, two or three years, and they've been and there's been ongoing damage because of water and that as well which then, you know, it's the insulation on the inside, it's the electrical, and then the whole issue just and damage gets more costly. So, you know, the quicker we can actually deal with...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And out of the I guess total number of applications received, how many were denied and I guess the reasons for denial? I guess lack of money would be one but what else would there be? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I had sent a request to the department I guess on that issue, and I don't recall getting a response but I'm glad I received one here today. And I hope that you can do something with it. And it may be looking at a separate program that's probably a double major repair program, because it's going to be costly.

The other thing I want to just talk about is seniors aging in place. And with respect to their retrofits and repairs, do you have the numbers, I guess, in front of you that would how many applicants, how many were approved and how many were denied? Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple questions actually. The first one is just elaborate there on what Mrs. Martselos said, talked about, which is the means test. The means test, can you tell me, I guess, how it is used? Like, is it just based on what on income, or does it take into account, you know, the cost of living as well? Like, you know, you might have somebody who has an older home, they're above the threshold, but their cost of living brings them down below that threshold. Like, how is it used? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yeah, you know, in the beginning, like I said last year I think in a statement, is that when this policy was first implemented, I think it was targeted towards Indigenous people and they had to add in the P2s I think to get it passed, and after talking to some of the drafters anyway. So I just want to make sure that we get it right.

So, Madam Speaker, will the Minister confirm if there was any consideration given to do away with the affirmative action policy or keep it or replace it with other forms of support or programs such as an Indigenous and northern training and...

I think I need some sick days.

Madam Speaker, many of us understand why the affirmative action policy was first implemented 30 plus years ago, and still we seem unable to reach our target for Indigenous hires. Why is that? Is it because of the education levels? Because of the type of positions available? Because of location of potential Indigenous employees? Because we have a young population not of working age? Is it because we have settled claims and people are working there instead? Is it because of the buddy system that we often hear about? Is it about racism? Is it about hiring the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, the department talks about putting 100 new homes I guess on the ground, finance are or I mean paying for that. I was just wondering, one of the issues sometimes that arise is the securing the land. I'm just wondering if, you know, when we're talking a hundred new homes, has the land been secured for that? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I thank you for that answer. You know, when it comes to, you know, people who are, you know, basically nowhere to live, there's no doubt we have to you know, we have to step in and do something. But at the same time, you know, when we're spending money, what I'd like to see is that we actually get some value and we take a look and, you know, do an analysis to see if we're actually doing the right thing and going down the right path, because we seem to be putting you know, we seem to be putting money into different programs and there may be better ways to do it. So...