Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the Member's point. Yes, not everybody has access to the Internet, but the information is out there in other means. There are paper copies which sometimes are as hard to get to the constituents and residents as digital. I understand that. We are making sure that information is available in our health centres, or health stations, our regional hospitals, our hospitals, so that individuals who have questions can get a hold of that information in paper.
Through the strategic cancer initiative, we're working with organizations and creating partnerships with places like University of Alberta, who are helping us design programs and bringing, in fact, some southern dollars into the mix to help us do creative new things at a community level as far as creating awareness, getting involved, getting the message out to residents.
At the same time, I'm happy and willing at any time to sit down with Members and take your input, feedback, on areas where you think we might be missing the target...and where we can improve the way we're getting the message out there. I believe we have a bunch of the information we need. We have a lot of good programs. We need to work together to make sure that our constituents have that information and I'm absolutely committed to working with you and all Members to make sure that information is getting to the people who need it, when they need it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A little follow-up to my Member's statement earlier. As I mentioned, nursing in Tsiigehtchic is a high priority for our community. You know, this time of year, usually there are nurses in Tsiigehtchic for up to two months, depending on the weather. With climate change, here we are on the 20th of October and, only today, a little bit of ice has started on the Mackenzie. So I'd just like to ask the Minister: when will the department have the nurse located in the community for freeze-up?
The department won't be putting a nurse in the community of Tsiigehtchic. It will actually be the Territorial Health and Social Services Authority. I can't tell the Member the exact date that they expect somebody will be going in there, but I'm happy to follow up on the Member's behalf, get him that information, and get him a concrete date.
You know, in the future, it's very important that we have a set date. I noticed the last couple of years we've been waiting for the ice conditions. The ferry is almost shut down on the side of Tsiigehtchic before the nurse is actually put in place. So just for the future, maybe we could set a date, whether it's October 15th, for example. Will the Minister please pass this on to the Health Authority?
Traditionally, as the Member has indicated, it's sort of been based on what the weather is suggesting, whether freeze-up is early or late. But I hear the Member and there might be some value in having set, fast dates so that the community has some certainty. I certainly think there is some merit to that.
I will certainly talk with the department and the authority to see what it would take to set some hard and fast dates so that the community can have some certainty. I don't know what that date might be. The Member has thrown out October 15th; that may or may not be appropriate based on, you know, averages of freeze-up. But, you know what, there is some merit there. I will certainly have a conversation with the department to see what it would take to make that happen.
While we're at it, maybe October 1st would work better.
---Laughter
Actually, the other point I wanted to raise was, usually the nurses are in the community until December 15th about, usually about the time the ferry access is open to Tsiigehtchic. The community has noticed that, last year, because of the crossing being put across at the Arctic Red first, the community noticed that the nurse had been taken out of the community earlier than usual, so they are very concerned and would like the department to have the nurse there until the same time, roughly December 15th?
I can't be aware of every specific decision that the authorities make, and I couldn't tell you when they chose to remove a nurse from a community, but I do hear the Member. Similar to his previous question about setting a set date for coming in, there might also be some value in having a set date for when an individual, a nurse, might cease their permanent stay in that community. I think that we could have that conversation at the same time, and I'm willing to do so.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While we do have a couple of weeks left here in session, so maybe I'll save this question for the Minister later and make sure we have a concrete date by the end of session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. I'll take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I made a Member's statement on suggestions on the Affirmative Action Policy of the GNWT. I would like to ask the Minister of Human Resources questions. I would like to ask the Minister if Human Resources have the staff to ensure that the departments are serious about applying the Affirmative Action Policy? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Human Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Looking at the numbers of the affirmative action employees across the GNWT, and I believe we have about 1,608, that's a good indication that our government and the departments are serious about applying affirmative action into the positions that they open. However, having said that, I've also, in my initial briefing with the department when I first got Human Resources, I made it quite clear that I would be watching very closely the number of affirmative action employees that were hired. I want to make it quite clear, though, that a lot of these employees, I want them to be hired, put into positions, based on merit. We have a lot of good employees out there with a lot of good qualifications. Thank you.
I would like to ask the Minister, when having discussions with department heads or staff of HR, if there is any sort of plan to develop a strategy to move the affirmative action numbers, which have been kind of stuck around 30 per cent for many years? I would like to know if the Minister has talked about any specific strategies that might change that number?
I think one of the best strategies is to encourage our young Aboriginal people out there to get the training that's necessary so we can get them into the system and put processes in place where they can succeed based on the qualifications and the work ethic and everything else that they bring to the position. What other strategies are we working on? We have the Aboriginal Management Development Program. Right now we have, I believe, about 16 per cent of our Indigenous Aboriginal senior employees who are eligible to retire immediately. We have 52 per cent who are eligible to retire with a full pension within the next five years. So it's very important that we start developing a lot of good Aboriginal employees and get them into the system and try and move them through the system based on merit and the qualifications and work ethic they bring to the job.
Earlier this week I talked a bit about - or possibly last week I talked a bit about the Regional Recruitment Program. I'd like to ask the Minister if the Regional Recruitment Program is targeting priority one candidates?
As you can tell from the numbers that I quoted last week, it is targeted. We have a lot of P1 candidates, I think it was 24 of the 32, that have taken us up on it, so that's a good indication that they are targeted.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thought the Regional Recruitment Program was actually inclusive of only priority one candidates, but that's my misunderstanding. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister have a discussion with the Premier about putting some sort of measurable evaluation in the department heads' evaluation that will indicate successes and failures within the Affirmative Action Policy on their job evaluations? Thank you.
I could have that conversation with the Premier. I'll also have a conversation with all my colleagues. You know, we hear the concerns in the House. We actually hear the concerns from the people out there about the fact that sometimes they feel like they have an unfair disadvantage trying to move through the system.
I want to make sure that all our employees, our Aboriginal employees, and those who are thinking of coming into the public service come in with the understanding is if they come in and they put in some good work and have some good training and add a lot of value then that will be recognized and they will get an opportunity to move through the system. I want to make it my goal to ensure that they have a fair opportunity to work through the system with the qualifications and the values they bring to the organization.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I was talking about, in my statement on the devolution responsibilities transferred from the federal government to this territorial government and being prudent and responsible over those responsibilities transferred on land and resource management.
I would like to ask the Minister of Lands if he's willing to come to Norman Wells with his deputy minister to better understand the site, the scope of work, the area. In looking at the document submitted to the Sahtu Land and Water Board for a permit, it clearly shows that there's Commissioner's land within this proven area boundary, so that's just an example of one of the purposes of the visit. So I wonder if the Minister would accept my invitation with the deputy minister to do a community visit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
As this House will know, Imperial Oil is responsible for the remediation for their oil and gas operation at Norman Wells, and that the vast majority of the property on which their operations are located are in the proven area. I understand that we hold one lease with Imperial Oil. We will look into the matter but I don't know if it's worthy of a trip. Thank you.
In being supportive, also part of the trip would give the Minister a site visit to viewing his other portfolio responsibilities in the area of the NWT Power Corporation. The actual plant itself is within the boundary, so that exposure to liability on un-surveyed property would be another item on the agenda.
So given that reason, on analyzing the liabilities in conjunction with the regional office and a site visit would be another purpose. So my question to the Minister in putting on his Power Corporation hat would he come to the community and extend my invitation for that responsibility, to look at the power plant itself?
Yes. Yes, I'd love to. Yes.
I thank the Member opposite for the kind invitation to me, both as Minister of Lands and Minister Responsible for the Power Corporation; however, prior to contemplating such a visit I'd like to examine the issue so that I'd be fully apprised of all the issues should I decide to go to Norman Wells. Thank you.
---Laughter
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister commit to work on the logistics of an agenda trip with me? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
The Minister of Lands and the Minister Responsible for the Power Corporation is always happy to work with the Members opposite.
---Laughter
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, my questions will be for the Minister of Lands. I'm very grateful to hear that they make a commitment that he follow through on it, and I wish the other Ministers would follow the lead and follow the Lands Minister and any verbal commitments will follow through. Well, can the Minister please explain why the department still uses the Commissioner’s lands application process in areas where the unsettled land claim area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
The Commissioner's land application process applies on all Commissioner's land regardless of whether it's an area of settled or unsettled land claims. Thank you.
I thank the Minister for his answer. What are the government's rules for the sale of Commissioner's lands in regions without the settled land claim areas?
Mr. Speaker, fee simple title is not normally granted in unsettled regions due to the land lease only policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories.
I didn't understand that, but I have another question I need to forward on. We know that at least there are 43 exemptions in Cassidy Point, which is Commissioner's land, and that there's other out there that I'm aware of. That as I continue to bring this issue forward from my constituents there is exceptions to this rule. So can the Minister please advise this House what the process is for making exemptions to the rules?
Mr. Speaker, department officials review such requests and based on the merits and rationale the request can be forwarded to the Executive Council for review. Executive Council determines whether an exception to the land lease only policy is granted. Requests for a fee simple title are reviewed through the department's broader policy framework. In the future, our review will also be informed by the soon to be completed Recreational Land Management Framework and its policies and guidelines.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you to the Minister for his answer. I'm not sure that really solves the issue of unsettled unclaimed areas, so can the Minister please explain how these exemptions were made and applied besides the Executive Council? It seems the Executive Council is making these decisions that have an impact on the residents of the Northwest Territories in unsettled land claim areas. So again, can the Minister explain how these exemptions were made and apply that method to other cases in unsettled land claim areas across the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, each request for fee simple is unique and reviewed individually. In the case of Cassidy Point which was referenced earlier, we made an exception to honour a long-standing commitment to lease holders. As I mentioned, our review of exceptional situations will also be informed by the soon to be completed Recreational Land Management Framework.
One of the difficulties with dealing with matters on a case-by-case basis is that you can conceivably set precedence. There's a saying that hard cases make bad law, and I think what we want to do is make the process simple, transparent in the future, so that everybody can understand the system and be treated equally.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
