Debates of May 15, 2007 (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask questions to the Minister of Human Resources and it’s in regards to the Minister’s statement he made yesterday about the summer student employment. Mr. Speaker, the Minister stated that in 2006 the GNWT provided employment to 343 summer students, and as of this week 195 students have been hired. I want to ask the Minister whether or not the number of student employment positions available has been reduced this year, because on the streets parents and university students are suggesting that government is not hiring as many summer students. A while back I think we all received an e-mail from HR -- I think it’s a public e-mail -- where there was a list of university students or students in post-secondary education who are still looking for jobs and it was quite numerous. It was either indicating we have a lot of students who are in school or there are lots of students who are not able to find jobs. So can I ask the Minister whether there has been a reduction in the number of positions available? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As far as we’re aware at Human Resources, the numbers of jobs have not been reduced. Of course, we’re not always aware of what jobs or positions departments are looking to fill. The Progressive Experience Program and the Relevant Experience Program are both being funded to the same degree and the same level of support as in previous years. So we would think that departments would find a way to hire a similar number of students. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Minister indicated as far as he was aware. Could I ask the Minister to confirm whether or not there have been a reduction of positions available for summer students? Because the Minister has indicated in his statement yesterday only 195 students have been hired so far. This is the end of May. Summer students are usually hired around this time and we’re not anywhere near meeting the numbers of last year at 343. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are constantly in communication with departments to advise them that we have summer students available and looking for work and encouraging them to hire students where available. The government, through HR, provides support through some programs to help departments take on students. There are 90 students supported through the Progressive Experience Program, and for health students the Relevant Experience Program doesn’t have a set limit to it. It’s up to the students to apply who are interested in the health care field. But we’ll certainly canvas departments to see whether or not there is some issue around hiring. I don’t believe there is. The numbers that I’ve quoted in my statement were for the end of the summer that that number of students have been hired. Not all students get four months worth of employment and not all departments are looking for somebody for an entire 15 or 16 weeks. Some of the positions that are available may only be for nine or 10 or 11 weeks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the past, the government provided funding for private sectors to hire summer students. I’m just wondering if that's included in the progressive employment or the other category that the Minister mentioned that I can’t remember. Can the Minister indicate as to what assistance is available for the private sector to hire summer students? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Progressive Experience Program and the Relevant Experience Program provide funding to departments and to boards and agencies that are involved in working with the government, health boards, etcetera. For instance, Yellowknife Health and Social Services does get funding in order to support students. But there is no program right now that subsidizes student summer employment for the private sector.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly was a beneficiary of really good paying government jobs that afforded me to go to school so I don’t want to deprive that to any other students, but there is a general sentiment that if we were to reduce the wages paid to summer students in government, it could help to hire more students and make it more competitive for the private sector to use some of these students. Maybe a way to make this possible is to make more funding available to the private sector to hire students; not at the same wage level, but a comparable level. Could I ask the Minister to undertake to see ways to increase the number of student jobs available in the public and private sector for the coming years? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 86-15(6): GNWT Summer Student Employment Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It isn’t possible for us to offer jobs at a lesser salary; we have the requirements for equal pay for work of equal value and we can’t try and get around that without it impacting on our public service. So we could always look at and examine different ways of doing it, but it would appear, from the raw numbers, that the private sector has become more attractive to the summer students. In 2003, 1,600 students registered for summer jobs. The government hired 343 that year, the same as it did last year when we had only 700 registered. This year, to date, we’ve only had 600 students register looking for jobs with the GNWT. So it appears, Mr. Speaker, that the private sector is taking up a good deal of the slack and employing more of our summer students.