Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned in my Member's statement here earlier on advertising and welcoming the students to encourage them to seek employment within our summer student program for 2017, I want to ask the Minister of Finance what initiatives are under way for this summer's recruitment program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Member for that very positive question. I can inform this House that we are projected to be ahead of last year's numbers. I think, last year, we had 306 summer students who were hired. My understanding is we have 272 who have been hired so far this year, and I think we have another 50 job offers that are awaiting signatures. We are well ahead of last year's numbers, and I think we have heard the concerns from Members of the House.
As far as the advertising goes, a lot of the kids who go to school or come on as summer students are well aware of the program, and they are well aware of where they want to work and how they need to get their applications in. If there are any ways we can improve that, we will continue to work on that, but so far, Mr. Speaker, the numbers early in the summer are quite encouraging.
Thank you to the Minister for the response. It is encouraging that we are going to see the numbers increasing. I was very encouraged by the latest report on the recruitment numbers. Looking back at the Sahtu historically for the last two summers, in 2015, we had five; 2016, we had five. Recently, 2017 started off with two, so I am of the impression we can see that number increase, more specifically for the riding that I represent. My question is: what targets or what methods of advertising are in use to recruit and exceed what we have done so far for the Sahtu region?
Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. We currently have two, but, as I said, we have 50 more that are outstanding, awaiting signatures. I am not quite sure where those are. I can find out and see how many we put into the Member's riding. As I said before, I will have to get the exact details on the actual advertising for summer students, but this is a program that has been going on for a while, as the Member has said. The numbers are improving this year. Two years ago, the numbers were 341. We are hoping to exceed those numbers.
If you count the other agencies that are funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and I have asked officials to try and find some numbers for me, like municipal governments, what do they have for summer students, because those are funded by the territorial government, as well as local housing organizations, just to give us an idea of exactly how many summer students we have working across Northwest Territories with funds that this government is providing to all agencies.
Would the Minister commit to working with the Minister of ECE and the regional representatives or the superintendent to issue a letter of encouragement for applications submitted by the graduates to the program of their choice or their endeavours of seeking summer student monies?
Mr. Speaker, all winter, we have been encouraging our departments to try to hire as many summer students as possible. I think it is a priority of this government to try to get as many of our young people out in the work force as we can, to help them get through school, and I can say that the departments have responded very well.
Right now, I think the Department of Infrastructure has the most summer students, followed closely by ENR, but I am told we just hired two, so I think we just passed them. I would be glad to share these numbers so that we know exactly which departments are hiring summer students. The other departments might see that as a bit of a challenge and take that up and try to bring more on. It is very important that we get our young people out there working and get them ready for the next stage of their lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If we include the new Department of Infrastructure, I guess we can expect two job-shadowing positions there that will help implement the 14 kilometres that are on their way for the all-season road. Would the Minister commit to exceeding or doubling last year's statistics? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, I am not going to commit to doing that, but I am going to commit to encouraging our departments to try to bring on as many summer students as possible. I think, in the Member's riding alone, with the amalgamation of the new departments, there were an additional 24 positions being brought on into the Sahtu, so the Member has done quite well representing his riding.
We will continue to encourage our departments to try to bring on as many summer students as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
