Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Finance tabled the government's What We Heard report on the policy review of the Affirmative Action Policy. Additionally, on our one-day emergency sitting in August, the GNWT tabled the response to the Standing Committee on Government Operations report on Indigenous representation in the NWT public service and the recommendations of that.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee of Government Operations and the GNWT both consulted the public separately and, Mr. Speaker, both the government and standing committee have concluded that, overall, the 34yearold Affirmative Action Policy is not working as it was originally intended to, which is to successfully increase Indigenous employment across the Northwest Territories or across the GNWT.
Mr. Speaker, the committee's report did a deep dive into the history of the Affirmative Action Policy and provided 12 recommendations on how the government could improve the policy to realize its intended effect. We can all agree that the Affirmative Action Policy isn't working and that it is outdated and needs to be replaced. To quote the GNWT, Mr. Speaker, the review has concluded that GNWT should introduce a new policy prioritizing the hiring and career advancement of Indigenous persons. This policy would replace the Affirmative Action Policy and would forward preferred hiring status, first, to Indigenous persons connected to the NWT, then to all Indigenous Canadians. The new policy being referred to here is the newly developed Indigenous Employment Policy which the government announced back in February.
Mr. Speaker, the spirit and intent of the Affirmative Action Policy is very important to Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories. Therefore, it's vital that if and when the GNWT decides to replace the policy then the overall intent of the affirmative action cannot be lost. Any replacement policy must ensure to continue that Indigenous people have priority hiring in our public service. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.
