Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just a question on the case that the deputy minister's referring to. Something about earlier, the Minister indicated that not sure if the federal government would reimburse the GNWT for any benefits that would be now be afforded to the Metis people. Has there been some discussion on that as far as the health benefits that we provide as a government to the Metis? Thank you.

Those are good responses. I believe that it seems to be an issue of the skills of the workforce. What are the mines and the department doing to develop a workforce, an NWT Aboriginal workforce, as per the workforce development agreement inside the socio-economic agreement?

I represent a constituency that is over 90 per cent Aboriginal, and I would like to know if there's anything specific in the socio-economic agreements between the government and the diamond mines that hold the diamond mines accountable for the employment of Aboriginal people at the diamond mine. I recognize that the socio-economic agreement does cover the northern/Aboriginal employment, but I'm particularly interested in how the government will hold the diamond mines accountable for the employment targets for Aboriginal people.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, creating jobs for northern residents and Aboriginal employees is a major part of the Government of the Northwest Territories socio-economic agreements with the three diamond mines. People who live in the areas most impacted by the mines are a part of the approval process and were a part of the approval process for their construction. These mines are on their traditional territory. Mr. Speaker, under these agreements, the diamond mines committed to build a workforce that was made up with about half northern Aboriginal people. These agreements also include...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the same Minister if there is a strategy to address the affirmative action numbers in the government. We know that the affirmative action numbers are low; they're far below what the goal is. I'd like to know from this Minister if there's a government-wide strategy to address the issue of members of the public service not having…priority one candidates not having many numbers or high numbers as we wish to achieve in the government's goal. I'd like to know if there's a strategy in place to increase those numbers. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, although I recognize that direct appointment is a Cabinet program, I'd like to ask the Minister if he can indicate to the House in direct appointments being done by Cabinet, if there are as many direct appointments now as there were the previous six months.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am happy with that response. Can the Minister provide me a timeframe as to when the department can start working with the community? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, within those action plans, I would like to ask the Minister: which particular preventive measures does the department see as a priority within the Cancer Strategy?

Sorry, Mr. Speaker, I had advised everyone that we were going to try to keep it to two and a half minutes but I spoke in the Aboriginal language and I assumed that I was getting an extra 30 seconds. Mr. Speaker, it appears that health professionals cannot make a connection between the cancer rates and Fort Resolution and the Pine Point Mine. However, local people have always said the two must be linked. Health experts continue to blame lifestyle choices in Fort Resolution. Local people say there is something in the water that diminishes their abilities to fight cancer. The people of the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we move to report progress.

---Carried