Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this item has been around as long as I have, in terms of the whole concept of the Affirmative Action Policy itself, the hiring procedures that are in place in the government, and also the amount that was spent in the human resource area. The Minister responsible for Finance stated that there was no money attached to these transfers to these different portfolios. There were thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars passed through this House in supplementary appropriations to assist those departments in hiring human resource officers and staff.

There was a lot money spent ensuring that the departments increased their capacity to take on this new workload. We see that in the increases in the Department of the Executive and the Financial Management Board Secretariat. In the whole area, when it comes to ensuring that the Affirmative Action Policy is being carried out, what do we see? Money is being lapsed, so a lot of people are not being trained so they can take on these positions. The same thing applies in regard to ensuring that we have a reflective workforce within this government.

I think we talk about working in partnership with the aboriginal people and First Nations, as they make 50 percent of the population. The government does not reflect that, yet we go around telling the industry and government that you have to sign an agreement to ensure that you will have so many Northerners working in the different sectors. As a government we do not practice that. I, for one, feel that this is the first step to make sure that we do fulfill those obligations that are in place in the policies of this government.

I fully support this initiative, and we have to somehow take the next step and not see dollars being lapsed because they are not being used for training. I support this motion, and ask my colleagues to do so. Thank you.