Mr. Speaker, I spoke yesterday in question period and asked the Minister of Human Resources about what they’re doing for summer students. We talked about summer students that potentially could be hired by the GNWT, and that process. The Minister alluded to a potential answer to my questions about the private sector. In the past there has been an incentive program out there for the private sector. I think the Minister said there was around a $5,000 potential out there. What is the Minister doing to ensure that the private sector knows this is available, and to make sure that they can obtain access to this program?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a number of programs to entice summer students to return to the Northwest Territories. It comes in two forms: the northern Summer Student Employment Program and the Northern Graduate Employment Program. The programs that the Member is referring to…. Under the Northern Graduate Employment Program, we have a Graduate Transition Program, and that program is being reduced. It was a program to place returning students with the private sector as interns, and the government subsidized interns up to $25,000. Unfortunately, that program is being phased out, and we’re providing for the remaining students that are in the program.
We also have the Progressive Experience Program, which provides up to $5,000 to place students with different agencies. Although primarily used during the summer, funding can also be accessed throughout the year for northern post-secondary students doing co-op or practicum placements with the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, we heard a couple of programs, and they’re certainly good. But the private sector is telling me that they need more support, because there’s certainly enough work in their businesses and in the private industries to take on more summer students, as well as other types of programs. The principle, really, on this issue is: is the government making money available so the private sector can help supplement those summer student wages and maybe take on more summer students?
Mr. Speaker, the only program we have right now is the Progressive Experience Program, but we’d be prepared to look at something for the next business-planning cycle. Certainly, if we can reduce the costs to the government by having the private sector hire more summer students, I think that would be something we could work towards.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member a short supplementary. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, a private sector person called me yesterday, as I’ve said, and they want access to any opportunities they can to help leverage their money to hire students, because they’ve got a lot of work in their shop. This is one of a number of examples out there. Mr. Speaker, if there is a pot out there through the Progressive Experience Program, how much money is available, and how would they obtain access to this potential program to make sure they put these students to work?
Currently we have 75 progressive experience positions that are available. Most of them have been taken up for this year.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, if I said today — simply just today — how much money is there in any incentive program for any employer to come in and tap into, so they could use that to leverage their own money in order to hire summer students…? Because, I think, as highlighted by the Minister and me yesterday, the territorial government can’t employ all the students; it certainly isn’t reasonable. We’ve only been able to employ approximately 60 per cent of what we had last year. The private sector wants to take it up. So what programs exist today that they could call to tap into to hire these extra students?
Mr. Speaker, I should point out that there are a number of funding agencies that provide for summer student employment, including the federal government and the Government of the Northwest Territories. I’ll be pleased to make a list of those programs available to the Member.
