Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Employability is part of Go To of 20/20: A Brilliant North, Public Service Strategic Plan. This goal makes it a priority to increase the number of persons with disabilities in the Government of the Northwest Territories workforce and includes initiatives to encourage current Government of the Northwest Territories employees to self-declare that they are persons with disabilities. The Government of the Northwest Territories Advisory Committee on Employability, we call it GACE, and the Department of Human Resources has developed a draft survey for Government of the Northwest Territories employees. The purpose of this survey is to establish the number of GNWT employees with disabilities. The survey will also aim to establish the number of employees accessing workplace accommodations or disability supports. Our target is to have the survey out in the first quarter of the new fiscal year.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to the Affirmative Action Policy and increasing the representation of the designated groups identified in the policy in order to create a public service which reflects the diverse culture of the Northwest Territories.
The 16
th
Assembly is committed to supporting the
Affirmative Action Policy, which gives first hiring priority to indigenous Aboriginals. The Department
of Human Resources cannot change hiring priorities that have the potential to negatively impact Aboriginals and the government’s commitment to increase their numbers in the public service. The Department of Human Resources believes that our employability initiatives will better fulfill the spirit and intent of the Affirmative Action Policy and changing the hiring priority. The Government of the Northwest Territories Advisory Committee on Employability has been created to strengthen relationships with government and non-government organizations, including the unions. The committee provides recommendations aimed at increasing representation of persons with disabilities within the public service. Work to date includes the development of a communication strategy to promote the Government of the Northwest Territories Advisory Committee on Employability in advance of a disability survey.
The communication strategy will be inclusive to ensure that the message of diversity and inclusion of all people and the Government of the Northwest Territories is promoted. This department is also in the development of a Disabilities Awareness and Inclusion Training Program which will be delivered throughout the public service. This training is scheduled to take place in the new fiscal year and will be available via face-to-face training and Internet-based e-training opportunities.
A diversity officer and a duty to accommodate officer are the newly created positions in 2010. They will play important roles working with managers and employees with disabilities and creating an awareness program about inclusion in the workplace and disabilities awareness. The department will review recruitment strategies for persons with disabilities based on market research and current technologies in the new fiscal year. The department is developing a framework to increase the representation of persons with disabilities in the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Department of Human Resources recognizes the percentage of Government of the Northwest Territories employees with disabilities is below the percentage of the Northwest Territories workforce with disabilities. The objective of the employability goal is to match or exceed that percentage in order to better establish a public service which reflects the public it serves.
Finally, we have already committed to a regular reporting schedule of progress on our initiatives under 20/20 and believe we are making progress under all of the goals of the motion. As this is their recommendation to government, Cabinet will be abstaining from the vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.