Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to raise this motion strongly urging the Government of Canada to develop and announce a successful strategy for Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program, also known as ASEP. This will ensure that local partners like the Mine Training Society, Building Inuvialuit Potential Society and the Dehcho First Nations can continue to train Aboriginal Northerners for employment in the mine, transportation and construction and petroleum exploration sectors.
The federal government created ASEP in 2003 to meet a very real need specifically to increase Aboriginal participation in the Canadian workforce. When initially established, ASEP had a five-year program life. Under existing Treasury Board rules, the program can only be extended once, and up to five years. Recognizing the value of this program, the federal government did extend it to its maximum of 10 years. Unfortunately, as indicated under their own rules, they cannot extend it again as it is currently structured. Unless the federal government develops and implements a successor strategy, the value added to our economy through ASEP will be gone on March 31st , 2012. By way of this motion,
the 16th Legislative Assembly is encouraging the
federal government to announce and fund its successor strategy for this highly effective and important program.
Mr. Speaker, precedents already exist. For example, the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Program offered by the federal government was reworked and announced as the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy. So it’s been done in the past. I’d like to see ASEP, one of the Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada, or also HRSDC’s most successful programs be worked under a comprehensive successor strategy similar to the program that I just mentioned.
Mr. Speaker, why is ASEP important to the Northwest Territories? Mr. Speaker, the federal government, through HRSDC, has invested approximately $22 million into the Northwest Territories since 2004. These dollars are matched by industry, Aboriginal governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories, through the departments of Education, Culture and Employment as well as the Department of Transportation, for a total investment in the Northwest Territories of approximately $24 million. Of the 36 ASEP partners across Canada, three of them, the Mine Training Society, Building Inuvialuit Potential Society and the Dehcho First Nations, are located here in the Northwest Territories and they’re dedicated to northern works.
ASEP operates on four principles. The first principle is that ASEP is a practical program that’s getting tangible results. Mr. Speaker, in the Northwest Territories, 900 Aboriginal Northerners have obtained full-time northern employment in the mining, transportation, construction and petroleum exploration sectors. These are tangible results in the Northwest Territories. We need these partners to continue doing their important work in the best interests of all residents of the Northwest Territories.
The second principle is that ASEPs are generating revenue for the federal economy. Mr. Speaker, more than 6,600 Aboriginal people have found long-term sustainable employment as a result of this program. By increasing the levels of Aboriginal education, workforce participation in parity with non-Aboriginal Canadians, Canadians’ gross domestic product could increase by up to $401 billion by 2026. In addition, the net savings on social assistance, justice and housing could be $95 billion in Canada over the next 20 years. This will clearly generate revenue for the federal economy. This is true for the Northwest Territories as well. Local employees working in local industry allow dollars to circulate within our economy rather than heading directly to our southern jurisdictions. The longer the dollars circulate within the Northwest Territories, the greater the positive spinoffs are here at home.
The third principle, Mr. Speaker, ASEPs are building capacity and leaving legacies. Partnership building underpins the ASEP model, Mr. Speaker. Within the Northwest Territories, ASEP partners have developed relationships and strong partnerships for industries located throughout out Territory. This has helped facilitate a win-win for industry and Aboriginal communities throughout the Northwest Territories, helping to fill labour and skill
shortages, increase knowledge, skills and abilities with communities, and address longstanding examples of disparity and Aboriginal student outcomes.
Mr. Speaker, ASEP has, and will leave, a legacy in the Northwest Territories. ASEPs are filling labour shortages with Canadian talent. Mr. Speaker, ASEPs help Canadian industries meet business needs. This is clearly evident here in the Northwest Territories as well. We can see it in our communities. Increasing education and education-specific employment in First Nations communities will result in greater productivity in the Northwest Territories. This will lead to increased tax revenues, reduce government expenditures for programs aimed at improving standards of living, providing adequate health care and preventing crime.
Mr. Speaker, ASEP is also in line with the 16th Legislative Assembly’s vision of strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibility for a unified environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, ASEP is good for Canada. ASEP is also good for the Northwest Territories. It must continue. I hope that Ottawa is listening to us today and that between now and March 31, 2012, they develop and announce a successor strategy for the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Program to ensure that northern organizations like the Mine Training Society, like Building Inuvialuit Potential Society and like the Dehcho First Nations and their industry partners throughout the Northwest Territories and Canada can continue to train Aboriginal Northerners for employment in the mining, transportation, construction and the petroleum exploration sectors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.