Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rose in the House the other day and I spoke of the whole area of the affirmative action policy and the policy that does not seem to be doing what it was meant for. I was pretty surprised to hear this morning after going to meet with Mr. Handley, the Minister responsible for personnel, that the responsibility of the affirmative action policy falls within the Premier's office. I would like to ask the Premier, exactly what do I do as a Member of the Legislative Assembly where I receive correspondence from affirmative action candidates who are working for this government and come forth to a Member of the Legislative Assembly to follow up on their concerns? I would like to ask the Premier, exactly what is in place to ensure that we do have a process where we can deal with the complaints, especially in regard to the implication of the Affirmative Action Policy?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issues regarding interviews and aspirations of people to find work with our government, there are processes in place and appeal mechanisms that are available. If there is some uncertainty about it, I would be pleased to meet with the Member, and Members that have these issues, so that we can refer them to the proper staff and the proper process. I would be pleased to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Affirmative Action Policy is there to facilitate the career development of affirmative action candidates when it is not reasonable to facilitate the running of a competition. There are ways you can get around that by either direct appointment or in regard to promoting the individual.

I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing in regard to being responsible for the affirmative action policy to ensure that all departments are following the policy and allowing affirmative action candidates to be promoted?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government is aware that Members place great value in knowing what efforts we are making, what progress we are making towards improving our ability to increase the number of affirmative action employees in our government, and to retain them. So we are working to make sure these are tracked, that there is a system to indicate how each department in the government is making efforts to increase within themselves the number of affirmative action candidates or employees, so there is an effort being made. Deputy ministers know that they are accountable for making improvements every year on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the problems we seem to have within the government is that there is no real teeth to this policy. You hear one thing from the Minister of personnel and then you hear something else from the Premier. I would like to ask the Premier, exactly who is responsible for ensuring that the policy is being followed and that it is implemented to the tee in regard to what it pertains to for all departments, and managers within the government, and what does he do when people are not following this policy?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, as a Premier, I am responsible for the affirmative action policy, so I am responsible for it. I have undertaken to work with Mr. Handley, the Minister responsible for the public service. Recently in partnership -- I am not sure it is a partnership, but we have a working relationship with the Accountability and Oversight Committee, which has set up a sub-committee to work with us, looking at staffing appeals and to find ways in which to assure both sides of the House that we are dealing with this in a way that meets the expectations of the Members of the Legislature.

We know that we need to improve the staffing appeals process, and we need to make sure it is transparent and fair. We have worked with the sub-committee on this issue, and I believe we are moving ahead, after consultation with the committee, to set out how independent staffing appeal review officers should be set up and how the appeals would be dealt with, and to make sure there is accountability, I think, on the process. Appointments, how appointments are made, the annual reports and how these will be conducted, the qualification of these review officers, and again, how appeals will be conducted under a new proposed model, or ones that we are looking at. This is the work we have undertaken to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, one of the concerns raised in the correspondence I received is the threat that these people feel they are under by coming forth to myself as the Member of the Legislative Assembly, or bringing their issues outside the department, either to the Ministers or to the Premier.

I would like, from the Premier, exactly where do we go with these types of concerns as Members of the Legislative Assembly, whom we do have the right to represent their interest without being threatened by other people in the department by way of being fired or being demoted?

I would like to ask the Premier, what kind of assurance can we give our employees that their jobs will not be jeopardized by coming forth on an issue such as the Affirmative Action Policy?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mahsi, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are again for the Minister of Health and Social Services and they come from the recent inquest in Yellowknife at the Explorer Hotel and specifically the recommendations that were made by the jurors; the recommendations to the Government of the Northwest Territories. I am wondering if the Minister is aware of these recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes I am, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if the Minister can tell me if there is some formal mechanism for him to respond to these; or maybe a better question is what plan of action does he plan to take to meet or consider these recommendations? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a great number of recommendations not only for our department but also for Stanton and the RCMP. We will review the whole document and all the recommendations in conjunction with the Stanton people. We will look at what is the best way to proceed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.