Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Choosing our youth for the public service:
Mr. Speaker, Indigenous youth are the future of the NWT, and we need more young people in the public service, Mr. Speaker. In April, the government will implement a new Indigenous employment policy. The Minister of Finance has said her department will now focus on recruiting people who are Indigenous to the present boundaries of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned for our youth. They are already on an uneven playing field when we look at outcomes in our education system.
Many young people leave the territory for post-secondary education. We need to give them a reason to come back. We need to prioritize Indigenous students seeking public service employment under programs like the Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP) and the summer student employment programs as well as internships. The government must do more to advertise in small communities. They must recruit Indigenous students and allow more time for students to apply for job postings.
The GNWT increased the amount of student financial assistance funding. Mr. Speaker, this is great news for Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education but we need to incentivize, train, and retain our youth. Let's keep our best and our brightest in the territory whether that means co-op placements within vacant GNWT positions or transitioning students from Aurora College into GNWT jobs. More must be done to place Indigenous youth in the GNWT and keep them there. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
