Thank you, Madam Speaker. These questions will be directed to the Minister responsible for Human Resources. And I apologize for not getting questions to her prior, but I know she has a good grasp on the subject. And I didn't want to go home without asking a few more questions on the issue of vaccinations and accommodation, then I won't get grilled tomorrow morning.
Madam Speaker, it is day two since proof of vaccination was to be submitted if one wanted to keep their job with the GNWT without having to be accommodated. I know that it's been a short time, but can the Minister maybe just give a quick little update on how the process is going and if there's been any kinks in what's happened so far. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Throwing everybody off today. Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the numbers are continuing to roll in, and I can say the first version I saw has changed in the 12 hours even since I first saw it a couple of times over. And in a good way. Madam Speaker, I want to say I've you know, there's some outlying areas that I do have some concerns that the numbers are coming in a little low. We are reaching out as a department and with respect to education authorities, I know ECE's reaching out as well, just to make sure that numbers are accurate, first of all, and then to figure out if there's some supports or information, education, that we can offer to employees who may have been hesitant to provide their proof of vaccination. But the majority, the vast majority of GNWT employees, GNWT departments are doing above the numbers here for the public. The numbers are overall looking, I'd say, very positive.
I've had some direct conversations that suggest that there's, you know, a couple of spots where it's taken a bit of a lag to get an approval in. So and of course, then the numbers official numbers won't reflect that. So if those are the kinds of kinks that the Member's asking about, then, of course, a new system and a new process is always going to have a few things like that but, Madam Speaker, we're doing well. And I'm really pleased that such a high number of public servants have put their proof of vaccinations in. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chair or Madam Speaker. Within the government, we have office workers and all the way over to industrialtype workers in our in the work environment. So I'd ask the Minister to confirm if the PPE used throughout departments is consistent and how is it determined that the PPE meets government approval, because those are some of the questions I've been getting the last day or two. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I recognize this is a point of frustration for some. I appreciate the patience that those who are going to have to follow the PPE element are showing, you know. As far as masks are concerned, in general the masks should be the threelayer masks and worn tightly to the face. But there is some adaptation for each work site because, exactly as the Member has noted, an office work site might not necessarily require any additional or alternative PPE as compared to someone working at a different type of situation such as an industrial one. So every department does have their own specific guidelines. They are under the MyHR website. They were all put out there within the last few days. They're available to the GNWT employees to go and to check out. And in addition to that, of course every supervisor is a resource to their employees. If someone is going to have to rely on the PPE side of this policy, then, yes, that information should hopefully be widely available to everyone. Thank you, Madam Chair Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Knowing that some departments require all employees to be vaccinated while others are allowed the accommodation, can the Minister confirm what happens if, for some reason, somebody who is accommodated has to attend a work site or an office building where all employees have to be vaccinated; is there a process for that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the vaccination policy has always been one of to get a proof of vaccination in and, you know, I hope people aren't doing that, again, because of this; they're doing it because the vaccinations are the best way for them to stay safe and for them to keep their families safe and for as public servants, to keep members of the public safe.
If they're choosing to not provide a proof of vaccination, there's always been the option within the policy that they could then rely on a combination of PPE and testing. There may well be situations that if an employee is running up against requirements to attend other locations. So, for example, I know one that's come up here in the House is around federal transportation rules which will require people now to be vaccinated. If there is a bona fide requirement in someone's job that requires them to do something, go somewhere, rely on federal or, you know, rely on transportation options where vaccinations are required, then they have to be able to perform their duties and perform their functions and and so in that sense, that would be a point of concern I imagine. But as far as GNWT work sites, the option has always been there of please proof of vaccination first but that alternative does exist and continues to exist. Thank you, Madam Chair Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this requirement for vaccinations, for PPE, for testing has got to come to an end at some point. The emergency order is going to be ended, and there's going to be, you know so I guess the question I have is for the Minister is how will that impact employees? How soon do you think we're going to see and she maybe she didn't have the answer, how long or, yeah, how long in the future you think we're going to see vaccinated and non-vaccinated people working side by side without the PPE, without the testing, and I guess without the bickering. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I sadly don't know when COVID will go away. I wish it was gone; but it's not. And, you know, in the interim, we now have a new variant. So, you know, variants continue to arise. Variants continue to spread. And, you know, that's again part of the reason that we have a vaccination policy in the first place is that this you know, in the last year and a half has demonstrated itself to be the best way to keep people safe, residents safe, public safe, people we serve, particularly in the Northwest Territories where, you know, we saw how quickly in some of the conditions in small communities, that may have overcrowding in houses, how quickly it can spread. And the impacts on it where we have communities and people who have already lower health care indicators. So until the COVID19 pandemic is under control, we have an obligation to use all the tools at our disposal, including vaccination policies as well as the panoply of masking and distancing that's going to keep people safe. So you know, someday I do hope that there's a normal that doesn't involve COVID19, but until that point, Madam Speaker, we're going to continue to have this policy in place. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
