Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask if the Minister would consider developing a new strategy for increasing Priority 1 employees across the GNWT public service, including the development of a human resources plan by each department. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that we report progress.
I'd like to thank the Minister for that response. I would like to know if the Minister is prepared to reexamine the role of the advisory committee on aboriginal employment in the GNWT, I don't know if that is the exact right term, and then try to give that committee a greater role in ensuring that the Priority 1 candidates continue to increase in the GNWT. I think that's a very good committee, so I'd like to ask the Minister if he's prepared to give a greater role to that committee.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairperson, I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister can provide a status report on that particular item and provide it to committee.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the Aboriginal content in the GNWT public service. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responded to one of my questions this week on the percentage of Priority 1 employees we have in the public service. His response was 32 to 33 per cent. I think the GNWT lead by the Department of Human Resources must develop a strategy that will see the public service get closer to the GNWT's goal of having a public service that is representative of the people we serve. In other words, try to get the public service to as close to 51 per cent Priority...
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, during question period I asked the Minister of Human Resources just briefly on the human resource plans. The strategic human resources, I'm kind of reading a bit of the activity here and I'm seeing workforce planning as a part of it. I just want to ask a question maybe about the human resource plans that the departments would have. I want to know: what the status is of the human resource plans from the departments? I just want to know roughly the percentage of departments that actually have human resource plans for their staff.
Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I have some questions on the summer student program. I am a firm believer in investing in our youth and investing in students. Students are out getting their education. We need to attract the person back. We need to treat that student with respect. When they come to the Government of Northwest Territories, we should do all we can to try to make positions available for the students. I would not advocate to create a budget for summer students because, under normal circumstances, I do understand that we have a certain amount of turnover in our system. If we are turning...
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes. I had indicated in my question that it was qualified Priority 1 candidates. Just to get this very clear and on the record, the Minister is indicating that if Priority 1 candidates are qualified in accordance with the job description that is put out there, then they only interview the Priority 1 candidates in round one of interviews. We will call it round one of interviews. It may not go beyond that. Is that what I am hearing? That only Priority 1 candidates will be interviewed? Thank you.
Rather than bringing it up for a political sense and discussing it with the Minister, there is nothing in place, then, to ensure that Priority 1 candidates applying for jobs, who are qualified, are given every opportunity into getting a job. Right now, as I understand it, whether you are a qualified Priority 1 candidate or not, you go through the steps that... I cannot talk about specific cases here, but I will talk directly to the Minister about the specific cases. If a Priority 1 individual is going to apply for a job where there is actually an individual filling that position as a casual...
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman. I recognize that that is the role of the appeal officers to look at potential procedural errors. What I'm asking is, is there anything aside from procedural errors that makes the appeal process almost redundant? If you're only looking at procedural errors and you're not looking at anything outside of that, this appeal process is… You know, as the Minister indicated we may be the only jurisdiction to have that type of process because it's probably not effective because it looks at just procedures. What I want to know is are there any potential or future...