Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I made a statement in reference to the Department of Personnel being amalgamated into other areas, and I had meant to ask a question but the honourable Member to my left, Mr. Henry, once again distracted me before I was able to ask my question. My question is to the Minister responsible for Personnel, What is being put into place to ensure that our hiring policies will be followed, particularly such policies as affirmative action and other hiring policies put into place to ensure that hiring is done fairly?

Minister of Personnel, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the strategic plan of rolling in the Personnel responsibilities to the departments is making not only deputy ministers responsible but also Ministers responsible for making sure that they meet their targets and they follow the hiring policies of this government. We have put that in the strategic plan of

dismantling Personnel so that we are assured that the affirmative action policy will be adhered to. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Considering that there will no longer be a central agency, are prospective employees going to have to go to every different department to find out what types of jobs are available in the GNWT, or will there still be a central location where they can go to find out about positions that are available with the Government of the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there still will be a central place to find out what's available in all departments. This is the computer age and that's not difficult to carry on. For example, if someone was living in Tuktoyaktuk, they would be able to go to the hamlet council chambers, the manpower office or whatever, and they'll have a complete listing of government jobs. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me assure the Member that all students who are attending educational institutions right now, all students who are born in the Northwest Territories will have first option on any student employment this summer. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable Member for assuring me that they will get preference, but I would like to know how they will get preference and what is being put into place to ensure that they get preference. Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Previously, in this government, we have had the Department of Personnel and different departments doing hiring and they were supposed to follow the policies of this government. The goal of this government, I believe, was 50 per cent affirmative action in the past. We are now at approximately 31 to 32 per cent. We have been staying there for many years. Whose fault is it? If you go to Personnel, it's not our fault, the department does the hiring. If you go to the department, it's not their fault because Personnel is involved. Let me assure the Members of this Assembly, managers will be held accountable and Ministers of this government, including myself, will be held accountable through this Legislative Assembly. So individual departments will be accountable and they had better get the numbers up. When we give the directive of hiring northern-born students, it better be done or else they will be accountable. Let me assure you, if Members are managers of this government, they're hired at the pleasure of this government and when they displease, they suffer consequences. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was discussing that very issue yesterday. We're optimistic that the report will be concluded some time in late April so that this report can be tabled in the House for discussion by my colleagues who are here today. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we all recognize that this is an issue where there has been significant debate over the years. We have provided an opportunity for stakeholder input. We're trying to incorporate that input into the report we present. That report, hopefully, will be ready late April or early May. It is my intention to bring that report to the House during the session in April or May. I hope the report will reflect a cross section of the stakeholder groups that have made presentations on it. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.