Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in May of last year the Aurora Collage Foundational Review was completed and it recommended, among other things, that the department hire an associate deputy minister of post-secondary education. In September, on September 7th, in fact, the government announced that they were hiring an executive search company to find this associate deputy minister of post-secondary education. Here we are, five months later, without having heard a result of that search. What is the result? My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later on in the session, actually, I'll be doing a Minister's statement on where we are with post-secondary education, so I'm going to be a little bit careful about what I'm saying. Currently, we are right in the middle of the process of the hiring of this associate deputy minister at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We were told that this individual would be in place by the beginning of this year. It is now almost the middle of February, so what is the new date for this individual to begin work?
I do have to take responsibility. I was a little bit more optimistic and hopeful that it would be in place at the beginning of the new year, forgetting that people do take Christmas holidays, and even forgetting that I had to take some vacation, myself. I realize that it's a little bit more delayed, and I'm not happy about that, but like I said, we're in the middle of it. We have just done the interviews and we're looking at the reference checks, so as soon as possible, once we make the offer. I can't make a firm date, though. The problem is that, depending on who we offer, if they have employment, there will have to be a notification, but my commitment is to get the best person in the country to help move us into a polytechnic university.
Can the Minister tell us how many qualified candidates Boyden Search Company turned up for this position?
That, I don't know offhand. I do believe that we are interviewing three people, but if the Member would like, then I can confirm that, how many people were actually recommended.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would appreciate that information. Can the Minister tell us whether anyone has been offered the job and has turned it down? Thank you.
Again, at this time we're just in the middle of the interview process. I don't know if an offer was put out and if it was turned down. I am hoping, like I said, that we get the best person. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
