Mr. Speaker, each year the Government of the Northwest Territories commits to maximizing a northern workforce through the hiring of summer students and interns. The Summer Student Employment Program, along with the

Northern Graduate Employment Program, is part of the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy.

To follow up on questions raised in the House, I want to assure Members that there is a fair and equitable process for hiring summer students. I have committed to review the concerns raised by Members to ensure procedures are being followed.

The Summer Student Employment Program increases the number of northern students who find relevant employment in the Northwest Territories as well as within the Government of the Northwest Territories. The program also helps create and maintain an ongoing relationship between northern students and the Northwest Territories, regardless of where the students go to school.

I am pleased to announce today that as of June 1, 2009, the government has hired 245 students. The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to creating a public service that is representative of the public it serves. The Affirmative Action Policy is applied to summer student and intern hiring. Departments hired 83 students who are indigenous aboriginal and 130 are indigenous non-aboriginal.

Student hiring is expected to continue throughout the summer. Students interested in applying can go to the Human Resources website for more information or email their resumes to [email protected].

In 2008 the government provided 282 students with summer work experience. On June 12, 2009, the Department of Human Resources will hold a summer student orientation in Yellowknife which will provide students with an overview of the workings of government, the advantages of being a Government of the Northwest Territories employee, employee responsibilities, and worker safety. The department will offer regional orientations during the summer.

The Northern Graduate Employment Program helps northern post-secondary graduates obtain relevant work experience. The Graduate Internship Program assists northern post-secondary graduates gain work experience by working one-year internships within the public service. The department anticipates 34 interns will be hired during the 2009-2010 fiscal year. This is an increase from 2008-2009 when 24 interns were hired.

The Graduate Employment Program guarantees northern teacher, social worker, and nursing graduates employment within the Northwest Territories. The government health system will employ nine Northwest Territories nurse graduates in 2009-2010 through the Graduate Nurse Program. Five northern social work graduates are eligible for placement in 2009-2010 through the Graduate Social Worker Program.

I invite my colleagues to join me in welcoming all the interns, summer students, graduate nurses, and social workers who are working with the Government of the Northwest Territories this year. The summer student and intern employment opportunities offer these individuals insight into the public service work environment as well as valuable work experience. The Department of Human Resources will continue to work with Government of the Northwest Territories departments, boards and agencies to find new ways and even better means of providing such opportunities.