Debates of March 7, 2005 (day 50)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today my statement is about the status of affirmative action with the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, you will recall last week, I raised concerns about the future of the affirmative action policy in this government, especially with the centralization of human resources.

Mr. Speaker, I think there is a reason for all of us to be concerned about the future of our affirmative action policy. Last week when I questioned Minister Roland about the affirmative action, he assured me that his department is doing all they can at all levels to ensure affirmative action is applied as it should be. Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Minister is aware that there are things happening that might suggest otherwise. For instance, Mr. Speaker, I have a newspaper article here dated March 27, 2002. It quotes an official from his department stating, “I expect that the affirmative action policy will be here for another two years at least.” Mr. Speaker, I know that things can be taken out of context, and I am willing to allow for that. However, when I am advised that the affirmative action does not apply to one of our most important programs in the GNWT, which the GNWT has to advance its employees, I think there is reason for concern.

Mr. Speaker, the Management Assignment Program, which is believed by many to be an opportunity for northerners to advance in a management position in the GNWT, is also believed that the affirmative action policies apply to this program. Mr. Speaker, officials from the MAP program are quite open about how it does not apply to their program. Looking at those in the program and some of the candidates who have applied and were not accepted, it is obvious that the affirmative action policy does not apply to the Management Assignment Program. Mr. Speaker, how can this be justified? Last week when I questioned about the number of aboriginal people in management positions, the Minister said that people have to be willing to get an education. Mr. Speaker, many of the people who have been turned down for the MAP program have an education and are willing to learn, but, apparently, that is not enough. We have heard, Mr. Speaker, that affirmative action employees in the GNWT have been advised that employees in the MAP program have first choice for management positions. Is the department saying that affirmative action does not account for advancements into management? If a P1 employee is not able to apply for a management position because a MAP person gets first dibs at it, and if none of the MAP employees are affirmative action, how do we…

Mr. Villeneuve, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, if a P1 employee is not able to apply for a management position because a MAP person gets first dibs at it, and if none of the MAP employees are affirmative action, how will we ever change the face of the GNWT so that it is representative of the population that it serves in the NWT? Mr. Speaker, this practice is unacceptable and, in my mind, cannot and should not be defended by the Minister responsible for the program. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause