Bob McLeod

Once I receive such a letter, we’ll proceed with the utmost speed.

We started back in December and we identified the jobs on an ongoing basis, plus we also have projects that we gear to skills that different students have. For example, if we have a project, then we can start looking for students that have those skill sets that allow us to undertake projects that will allow us to go forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can only say that great minds think alike. At this point the goal of the Government of the Northwest Territories is to have a representative workforce, which in this case we’re talking about Affirmative Action in which Aboriginal people represent about 50 percent of the Northwest Territories population. We’re also taking the same approach for persons with disabilities.

I just want to indicate to the Member that I like to direct corporations but the legislation prevents me from doing so, so I’m just allowed to write them letters. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member may recall, when legislation was passed establishing the BDIC, that I’m very limited to the kind of direction I can give to the board. I can write them a letter recommending they hire more summer students, and I’m prepared to do so, but you have to also recognize the fact that the BDIC subsidiaries, we have to get FMB approval to subsidize jobs, because we figure that a job that’s not fully paid for is better than no job at all. In most of the subsidiaries we have to subsidize jobs up to a maximum of $25,000 per job, so we’re limited on that basis, as well...

Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly is improving human resource management within the Government of the Northwest Territories through training, career planning and encouraging employee innovation. By doing this, we move closer to our goal of an effective and efficient government.

The Department of Human Resources is working towards that goal with the Public Service Strategic Plan, 20/20: A Brilliant North. We know that to provide a high level of service to the people of the Northwest Territories, we must develop and maintain a public service representative of the...

I’m pleased to report that without the first month not being completed yet -- there’s still three more months of summer employment available -- to date we’ve hired 26 summer students. We’re about five or six away from meeting our target for this year. Thank you.

Every year we plan on a continuous basis, but for this fiscal year we started in December 2010. Thank you.

Thank you. The government’s objective is to meet last year’s target of 263 summer students and it’s our commitment for the department to achieve the 16 summer students that we hired, the same as last year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. In December of last year the department met with the deputy ministers of all the departments and advised them of the process for hiring summer students, the need to register on the public registry and the need to have a continued support to hire summer students. We follow that up with regular updates at deputy minister meetings and also letters to the departments. We also raise them at ministerial meetings. So in every opportunity, we encourage departments to increase the level of hiring of summer students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.