Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources on summer students. I’m concerned about the transparency and efficiency of the summer student hiring process and I’m wondering if ENR puts out a file of the positions that they have identified, presumably, as I understand it, in December on the positions that are available for students so that they can underscore the credentials that they have towards those specific summer student positions.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We follow the hiring process as laid out. Students are encouraged to register early, put their names in along with their credentials, as well as students from the different regions probably have their own personal points of contact. In terms of the process, we look at hiring about 29 students that we have this year already. That’s the process that we follow.
Just looking outside, we’re right along on our spring. I’d say it’s almost summer. Last year I believe ENR hired about 40 students. I know students have been out of school for some time. They’re waiting desperately to hear. Will the Minister commit to hiring at least 40 students, as he did last year, again this year and get word to them quickly?
We’re committed to hiring as many students as possible with the resources that are available to allow us to do so.
I do notice that the budget is up for ENR this year compared to last, so I’m hoping the Minister will confirm that means we’ll be hiring at least 40, and probably more students. I am concerned about the concept of challenge and accountability, because I have information from constituents indicating that in some cases equally qualified people have lost out to people with lower priority status. I’m wondering in ENR if there’s apparently no public listing of what jobs were on offer, how can applicants know whether their priority status was honoured when job offers were made in the department.
If the Member has a specific concern or issue, I’d be happy to have that detail to see and ensure that due process was followed, of the Member would care to share outside this House that specific detail.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps that’s something we can discuss over supper sometime.
My last question is: will the Minister commit to an early identification of summer student positions within ENR and make sure that’s publicly posted so that students can address specifically with those positions in mind and underscore the credentials that they have for them? Thank you. I like dessert, too.
There is still a chair available for the dinner tomorrow night with Mr. Beaulieu, so the Member for Weledeh is welcome to attend. Yes, I will make that commitment.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
