Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am standing here today to tell you that I will certainly be supporting this motion. I have to say, one of the hardest things for me in the early stages of my career has been having people coming into my office and talk about how they felt they were really shafted out of a job or did not get fair treatment. It has been something that has been very difficult for me to deal with. What is even more difficult is that I have not been able to recommend that they seek recourse because I did not know where to send them and they did not know where to go. They were concerned about being blacklisted, and I think that, at times, can be a fair concern.
I do not think that, as I mentioned, is a workable situation. Mr. Handley asked if we want to give away our ability to handle human resources, and he asked the question, "Can a Public Service Commission do a better job?"
I would like to ask you how they could possibly do a worse job. Mr. Nitah has let us know here today that aboriginal people in management has increased from eight percent to a not exactly staggering 14 percent. Ms. Lee indicated that women in management in the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is something like 0.8 percent.
I think there are other concerns. We have 30 percent of appeals being upheld, and I think we are only seeing the beginning. I think a lot of people do not appeal because they fear reprisal. Additionally, I think what we are talking about here is not a full-blown Department of Personnel. We are not talking about huge bureaucracy and creating more jobs in Yellowknife. We are talking about a watchdog. A watchdog that would report to everybody in this House and when we set the mandate, we will decide how the Public Service Commission is going to act and going to represent the people of the Northwest Territories, and Government of the NWT employees.
I think we are essentially throwing our hands up here and saying the time for talking is over. We would like to act. The government would like to wait until the fall to discuss this and I can appreciate that. Mr. Kakfwi said he has to take the time for due diligence. This is a public government, this is not a private corporation. But I think the people on this side of the House are saying we are fed up. Our constituents are fed up. and they would like to see some action. That is why we have taken this course. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.