Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to being an inclusive workplace open to all Northerners. A diverse workplace improves our ability to serve the public.
Today I would like to provide Members with highlights from the recent Inclusive Public Service Survey, conducted by the NWT Bureau of Statistics on behalf of the Department of Human Resources. It was developed in consultation with the GNWT Advisory Committee on Employability. The survey was conducted in the first half of this year, and asked all GNWT employees to share their perspectives on a wide range of workplace diversity topics. The survey included questions about disabilities and their effects on job duties, communication, accommodations, and opportunities such as training and advancement. The survey also provided employees with an opportunity to anonymously identify that they have a disability so that we have more accurate baseline information on employability in our workforce.
For the survey, disability was defined as a physical, mental, medical, or social/emotional condition that restricts the performance of one or more of a person’s significant life activities for longer than six months or on a recurring or intermittent basis. This definition was developed in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Advisory Committee on Employability, and will be used by the GNWT in all instances except for priority hiring, where the definition from the Affirmative Action Policy will be used.
All GNWT employees had an opportunity to complete the survey. Of the 1,726 employees who responded to the survey, 273, or 6.4 percent of all GNWT employees, self-identified as having a disability. The most common types of disabilities identified were pain and mobility, followed by social/emotional, agility, and psychological.
Mr. Speaker, more than half the respondents with disabilities said they had discussed this disability with their manager or co-workers. Awareness and communication are key to diversity in the workplace. With the advice of our Advisory Committee on Employability, the Department of Human Resources launched a disability awareness campaign earlier this year in all GNWT workspaces. Posters create awareness about unseen disabilities in the workplace and provide information on the work of the committee.
We held disability awareness training sessions in Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Inuvik and Yellowknife this spring. The training explored attitudes and awareness about disabilities and employment of persons with disabilities. Ninety participants attended the training. We are planning additional sessions in all regions this winter. We expect that future sessions and training materials will also be available on-line.
Mr. Speaker, just under 40 percent of respondents with disabilities reported that they require accommodations. The GNWT implemented a Duty to Accommodate Injury and Disability Policy in 2011. The Department of Human Resources created diversity officer and duty to accommodate advisor positions. These staff work with managers and employees to ensure we accommodate the needs of employees with disabilities. Duty to accommodate training is offered to managers in all departments, and to date, 205 managers/supervisors from 11 departments have taken the training.
The accommodation process involves cooperation between the GNWT, unions and employees to identify safe, timely and reasonable measures to accommodate employees’ disabilities or injuries. The goal is to have employees remain in the workforce or be integrated back into the workplace as soon as is reasonably and safely possible.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, almost 60 percent of respondents with disabilities did not perceive having a disability as a barrier to training, advancement or new positions. Our staffing processes identify that the GNWT is an inclusive workplace and seeks to accommodate persons with disabilities. If an individual requires support, they are encouraged to identify their needs so that they may be accommodated.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is a workplace that is inclusive and open to all and we are committed to eliminating barriers to employment for all Northerners. We will continue to focus on enhancing and developing initiatives to support reasonable accommodation based on the needs of the employee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Colleagues, before we go on, I`d like to welcome former MLA for Deh Cho and former Speaker, Mr. Sam Gargan. Welcome back to the House, Sam.
We have our former Premier and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Inuvik Boot Lake, now the newly elected mayor for Inuvik, Mr. Floyd Roland.
Also, mayor until the 29th of this month, Mr. Denny Rodgers. Thank you, Denny, for coming.
The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
