Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Today I would like to raise my concerns with regard to Aboriginal employment and representation in our Government of the Northwest Territories. We have an Affirmative Action Plan that government employees should have a representative workforce, which means half our workers should be Aboriginal. Our population is 51 percent Aboriginal. The most recent Public Service Annual Report indicates that indigenous Aboriginals, P1s, who have the highest hiring priority represent only 31 percent of our Government of the Northwest Territories workforce. Aboriginal people are well represented in finance, administration, trades and in departments like Transportation and ENR. However, 31 percent just isn’t good enough. One likely reason is that most government jobs are in Yellowknife but most Aboriginal people live in the communities and regions. Only 23 percent of Yellowknifers are Aboriginal. So in order to increase Aboriginal employees, it seems we have to continue to decentralize.
I do wish to note on this International Women’s Day that 65 percent of Aboriginal workers are women. Congratulations to them all. Another unsettling statistic is that Aboriginal government employees have the lowest average wage. Our salary for P1s is $69,000, a full $14,000 less than the average of all other employees. This is because we are staying at entry-level positions and not advancing.
I believe we have to concentrate on our Affirmative Action Policy. Where is our employment strategy? Where are our internal management training courses? Where is the recruitment plan to encourage Aboriginals to join the public service?
In closing, we need to work harder to ensure that our Government of the Northwest Territories workforce is representative of our general population at all levels.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
