A report on the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 34-year-old affirmative action policy is now before cabinet, but in spite of pointed questions in the legislature, the GNWT is mum on if or when a new policy will be implemented.

Inuvik Twin-Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler and Yellowknife North MLA Ryland Johnson hammered Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek on the subject during the Oct. 3 sitting of the legislative assembly.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen this policy is approved and it is implemented, how long would the minister consider the timeline to be before we would start seeing the changes at the frontline?SA国际影视传媒� asked Semmler. SA国际影视传媒淏ecause every single one of us as MLAs SA国际影视传媒� we all are MLAs first SA国际影视传媒� have heard from our constituents on problems with hiring in the GNWT workforce. So when can this minister SA国际影视传媒� when the policy comes into play SA国际影视传媒� how long will it take for this government or the next government to have it roll out?SA国际影视传媒�

Wawzonek replied that it is up to the executive council to review the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒榃hat We HeardSA国际影视传媒� report and make recommendations.

SA国际影视传媒淚t may be, Mr. Speaker, particularly given the timing, that we would want to delay implementation or we may want to make it, you know, a pilot or something that gives us a bit of breathing space, recognizing where we are in our timing and the challenges weSA国际影视传媒檝e had this summer with timing,SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek told the legislature.

SA国际影视传媒淲ith respect to a new policy, Mr. Speaker, the beauty of it being policy is that it will have some more flexibility. If thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a new policy, typically what would happen is it does give an opportunity for departments and agencies to get used to it, to look at it, to refine it, to make sure that it is, in fact, the best one. So I canSA国际影视传媒檛 give a timeline for a thing that we havenSA国际影视传媒檛 announced.SA国际影视传媒�

Johnson asked the minister if the GNWT is planning to go ahead with removing the Priority 2 candidate designation. Wawzonek said the GNWT has other options to ensure other visible minorities have a fair shot at government positions.

SA国际影视传媒淭he recommendation there really is, again, that the affirmative action policy is out of date, that it is inadequate, that this is unnecessarily complex,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek. SA国际影视传媒淎nd coming from that, what was also contained in that report is that there be an Indigenous employment policy to offer priority hiring to Indigenous persons.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat is an area where we all know that we have failed and continue to fail for 30 some years under this policy. It simply has not achieved its purpose or targets.

SA国际影视传媒淲ith respect to a second employment policy, a broader employment policy, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not with the data it seems to suggest is required under Statistics Canada, certainly not an area that seems to be required in terms of looking at our own demographics as a public service,SA国际影视传媒� the minister added. SA国际影视传媒淎nd there are other tools already in place, such as the diversity and inclusion framework that might speak to it.SA国际影视传媒�

Johnson pointed out the Standing Committee on Government Operations has presented four options for potential changes to the act. The first is to only hire Priority 1 candidates, which are Indigenous or Inuit persons born in the NWT. Another option was to strengthen the appeal process so itSA国际影视传媒檚 possible to overturn a job placement. A third was to guarantee a single administrative position in each department is a P1.

A last policy option was to push for decentralization of government departments, which would stimulate hiring P1s by hiring locally.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not rocket science,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f you want more Indigenous people in the public service, put the jobs where the Indigenous people are.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have to identify positions in headquarters, and you have to move them to communities.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat is how you increase Indigenous people in the public service.SA国际影视传媒�

The territorial government employs 17.2 per cent of the Indigenous labour force, according to the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Indigenous Recruitment and Retention Framework document. The highest percentage is among Indigenous people with a university education SA国际影视传媒� 56.4 per cent SA国际影视传媒� while the lowest is those with no formal education: 3.1 per cent.

Fact file

Priority hiring

When the GNWT hires, people belonging to certain designated groups are given priority. The priority ranges from #1 (highest) to #4 (lowest). There are different priorities depending on the type of job.

For management and non-traditional jobs, the priorities are:

1a. Indigenous Aboriginal female persons

1b. Indigenous Aboriginal male persons

2. Resident women

3. Indigenous Non-Aboriginal persons or Resident Disabled persons

4. All other applicants

For all other jobs, the priorities are:

1. Indigenous Aboriginal persons

2. Indigenous Non-Aboriginal persons or Resident Disabled persons

3. All other applicants

Source: GNWT Human Resources website