Caroline Wawzonek
Deputy Premier
Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, but that it was so easy. So the summer student program, it doesn't have a separate line item or budgeting item to it, as I think was mentioned earlier in Members' statement. The way that it works, though, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Finance, of course, can coordinate the support hiring of summer students and can coordinate and support training programs for the summer students.
Every department has a responsibility to determine what their needs are, to find special projects that they often do, and often do rely, indeed, on summer students who are coming in...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of May 31st, 2021, we have a total of 192 summer students currently hired. There's an additional 53 who have pending offers. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Office of the Regulator for Oil and Gas Operations 20202021 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, June 1st, 2021, I will move the Bill 32, an act to amend the Northern Employees Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, the GRIT program isn't being renewed. But the good news is that a lot of work has gone into identifying what can be rolled out.
As we've been saying, I think, since early on, the role of the Government of the Northwest Territories is to complement and to help fill gaps when federal partners are not providing certain resources or have maximized what they are able to provide. And in this case, certainly have been waiting to see what CanNor would make available through or directly to Tourism or Hospitality.
As it is now, of...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, Affirmative Action Policy is obviously one aspect of what goes on during the course of a hiring practice. It's a very important one. But with respect to more widespread issues, again, Mr. Speaker, the department of human resources supports all of the departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories. All of the departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories have a role to play here.
And, indeed, earlier in the Member's statement, I heard describing of a hiring culture and of a hiring structure. Well, again, we've...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Finance is one of the first two departments that will be going through the government renewal process. That process is already underway. It's begun. And as such, a human resources branch, being part of the Department of Finance, of course is going to be going through that as well.
But, Mr. Speaker, that's not the end of that, the work that's happening with human resources. We also are well underway in having the Indigenous recruitment retention framework actioned and developed, and that will also be providing a further human resources tool...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now, ITI staff in the region, not only are they, of course, themselves no doubt suffering and experiencing directly the impacts of the floods, but I know that they have been involved in the front lines of helping with the efforts to really just provide immediate necessities and having immediate needs addressed.
So, you know, a course of thankyous should be made as well to ITI staff there who I know are working very hard on that frontline. With respect to what's going to come next, Mr. Speaker, we've been doing a lot of relief and...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the insurance waiver wasn't intended to be a oneyear initiative; however, it was focused on those who aren't making offerings to the public. So there certainly are going to continue to be a requirement for some regulatory oversight and some insurance oversight for tourism operators when they are offering their services to the public.
That said, Mr. Speaker, there are, as I've said, programs that are imminently, I hope, going to be rolling out, other programs that I expect will that are ready available through various other, you know, funding...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also on the special committee. I also heard the recommendations that were put to us just last week with respect to the fact that governments have to ensure that direction comes from the very top.
So I appreciate the fact that the Member routinely gives the opportunity for us, all of us in this room as elected leadership, but particularly for me as the Minister have the opportunity to speak here in the House and speak to the public service to say that this is the vision of what we have for an inclusive public service, to have a diverse...