Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mrs. Groenewegen on October 27, 2004, regarding direct appointments in the Government of the Northwest Territories.
After careful consideration, I am inclined to think that disclosing the name of every individual ever appointed to the public service without competition may constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy as defined by the NWT's Access to Information and Protect of Privacy Act.
However, I am able to advise that of the 111 individuals appointed to the public service in 2004, all were residents of the NWT, 79 were affirmative action candidates and a significant majority were recent graduates from post-secondary programs, for example, nursing and social work programs.
Finally, I would also advise that the number of individuals direct appointed to the public service in any given year is publicly reported, without reference to names or positions, through the public service annual reports. The annual reports from 1995 to 2003 are available through the Financial Management Board Secretariat's web site at www.gov.nt.ca/FMBS/documents/documents.html and the 2004 Public Service Annual Report will be completed and released in the spring of 2005. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.