Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Personnel. On September 15, I listened carefully to the statement which the Minister made in this House about northern hiring. I took particular note of his comment that, "our highest priority continues to be increasing the representation of aboriginal northerners in the public service". I also noticed that while he talked about the responsibility of the private sector, non-government organizations, and contractors, he made no reference to the role that organized labour should be playing to support aboriginal hiring principles.
My question is, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister of Personnel consider initiating consultations with the Union of Northern Workers, and the N.W.T. Teachers' Association, to develop strategies for increasing the profile of native people within the public service unions?