Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Human Resources questions on the Member’s statement I spoke about earlier in the day. The question was raised in the House last week, Mr. Speaker, and I’d just like a current update about the number of summer students hired to date as compared to last year. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has a commitment to building a strong northern workforce and also fulfilling its strategy to maximize northern employment. As such, we have summer student hiring as an important priority. On average over the past eight years we’ve hired about 315 summer students. Last year we hired 263 students. This year we’re hoping to meet our objective of 263. To date we’ve hired 82 summer students and have 42 job offers out there for a total of 124. Thank you.
As I indicated in my Member’s statement, I had four anxious young students from the riding of Nahendeh inquiring to my office about them not hearing anything from the department or any opportunities yet. What would be causing delays such as that, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Normally what is causing the delays is summer students not registered with the program, so that results in a delay. Having said that, the demand exceeds the supply. Usually we have 600 students apply for summer employment and, like I say, our objective this year is to try to match last year’s number of 268. So we’re having situations where we’re having to interview summer students for jobs and so on. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The time for question period is expired; however, I will allow the Member a supplementary question. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m just concerned about our government using the passive restraint measures in each of the departments. Would such measures or the concept actually impact the amount of summer students and the goal that we’re trying to reach? Thank you.
Obviously, the departments are the ones that find the funding for hiring the summer students and if you go back to 2008, we had 353 summer students. Since that time we’ve had a recession and we’ve had fiscal issues, so obviously that has implications. We’ve tried to address it by having departments hiring but also providing funds so that the private sector can be assisted in hiring summer students, as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister provide me with some details of an average of summer student hires in Fort Simpson and, as well, at Fort Liard? Thank you.
We’ll provide that information to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Ms. Bisaro
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7 on the Order Paper.
---Unanimous consent granted
The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
