Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Finance Minister presented budget 20222023 in which she stated that making "flashy announcements" and hoping new money would solve longstanding problems, and it goes on to state that the goal is to influence the path for the next five to ten years. And that's where it's concerning and it actually got me off my seat. Because there's a real issue that we see that's not being addressed is what I don't see in bold in funding is towards the Indigenous recruitment and training and retention. This is important as the Minister stating that this path is already being set for five to ten years, and we're not really addressing this. This has been an ongoing problem. Can the Minister address this longstanding issue? Mahsi.
Thank you. Minister responsible for Finance.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I am more than happy to address this. We've done, actually in some ways, actually, this is exactly the kind of thing I was speaking to. We do want to be influencing where we are in five to ten years, and that does mean we need to be taking action today for Indigenous recruitment and retention. That is why we've moved forward on the Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework. That was released earlier or I guess a few months ago now, and we've had an opportunity to speak to committee about that and have public review of that alongside committee, and I was grateful for the feedback that we got at that opportunity.
We're also continuing to put forward a GNWT human resources plan so that this is, you know, really that the approach that we're taking to Indigenous recruitment and retention is one that is built into that plan and built into everything we do in the Department of Finance and with our human resources. So, you know, we already are doing a lot in this space, and it is exactly my hope that that's the kind of thing where we have that work, we are doing that work. We need to get word out about that work. We need all the departments to be working together towards that goal, because in five to ten years, you know and frankly, even before that, it would be pretty amazing to be one of the top employers in Canada for inclusion and diversity. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that. Since the start of the 19th Assembly, many of us on this side of the floor have made the issue of Indigenous hiring and a review for the Affirmative Action Policy. I think the policy's goal was 50 or 51 percent. We're at 30 something percent and I think it dropped down to 29. So we're not even meeting our targets, and this government's been here for this is the 19th Assembly. You know, we're not putting our mouth where, you know, we should be putting the action.
I'm not seeing it in any of the projects that, you know, this issue is highlighted and budgeted for, and that's a concern. You know, we've always spoken about the geography of the Northwest Territories as the makeup is predominantly Indigenous and Inuvialuit and Metis. And we're always fighting that losing battle. We're always battling, battling the governments here. The government is fighting back with our people forever. And that's a big concern to us as Indigenous people and Indigenous leaders.
I highlighted the fact that I was an employee and had been interested in a program to advance myself, the associate director program. I no longer see it anywhere in the government website. So it's been wiped out. That would have gave me an initiative, a chance to work with an existing director job shadowing, you know, and the director was leaving. I never got nothing. I never got nowhere. My managers, you know, dismissed me. So I've experienced that. And that's the type of training we want to see back on the books is job shadowing onthejob training. It gives us a chance at these positions. We don't need, you know, highly, you know, the high degrees to be able to figure out what's just common sense within the workplace. And we need this government to start listening to us as Indigenous people.
I'd like to hear the views of the Minister on that, and I won't have any further questions, Madam Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I can't speak to the Member's personal or specific circumstances but there's a continual renewal of the kinds of programs and policies that are available. The Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework brings it under one umbrella and puts targets on departments and puts an onus on senior management as part of their performance plans that they have to deliver on this. So we're taking those things seriously because it doesn't need dollars; it needs people to buy in and to understand the importance. These people to actually at the leadership level and at this level, amongst Ministers and among deputies, to be in a position to say that this is something that we as a government value, that this is something that we are going to advance. And that's not about the dollars; that's about getting it done. Every department has staffing dollars. Every department already has compensation and benefits associated to it. When we spend those dollars on our compensation and benefits for public servants, we want every public servant to feel included, every public servant to be reflected, and to know that they have a future in the Government of the Northwest Territories. So while the programs might change their names, we do have still the Indigenous career gateway program. This is an opportunity to connect young people into the public service. We have the regional recruitment program similarly to identify openings that are recurring and to find folks in their communities who can fill those positions. And if they do, there's the building capacity within there's sorry, the Indigenous management and development training program to help folks who need a bit of a step up to make their career.
And one of the newer ones, Madam Speaker, that I think's really exciting, building capacity with Indigenous governments program. This is an opportunity to have secondments between Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, and the Government of the Northwest Territories so that we are truly all reflective of one another, that we better understand one another. So I'm glad that we keep raising the issue. I don't want to not have the chance to talk about this as I have been for the last couple of years because there is a lot happening, and we're at a really critical point. The framework is in place now. Those measurements are in place now. And we do need to be paying attention to seeing as they come to fruition. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
