This is page numbers 4135 – 4182 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you. The number of 571 is a snapshot on October 31, 2013, and that’s when those vacancies were positioned. However, throughout the year we advertise the jobs and fill the jobs. So, yes, I’m positive that there have been more vacancies since October 31st , but we won’t

know that number until we take another snapshot six months after that. We’re taking the PeopleSoft system and we’re taking it off the PeopleSoft on a semi-annual basis. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

You would think it would be a very paramount job of the Minister of Human Resources to know exactly how many vacancies we have, not to wait to each quarter or semi-quarter, who knows how you want to paint it.

Why doesn’t the Minister, realizing how important this issue is, while the House is sitting, why doesn’t he know how many jobs are vacant because these are rolling vacancies if someone gets hired, somebody changes their mind and doesn’t want to work there anymore. So we have an average vacancy built up throughout the Northwest Territories government at all times.

Why doesn’t the Minister know what’s going on with these vacancies and about how many are available? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you. The PeopleSoft system is designed to give us snapshot reports. We use that as a management tool to hire, track, recruit, retain our employees and this was a snapshot that we provided to the House on October

2013 and we’ll do that again in April of 2014. We act accordingly. We continuously are attempting to fill positions. We work with the departments and it’s important for us that we make every effort to fill the vacancies and we do. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If anyone doesn’t know, apparently we use PeopleSoft, because I think it has been said at least seven times if not more. Maybe we should have the PeopleSoft program sitting in one of those seats answering all these questions because if we only have information from October and we don’t get new information until April, that has to be at least six months. This is such an important issue.

What is the Minister going to do to ensure Northerners have current information before them so they can apply for these jobs? Because I can tell you, up and down this Valley, all four corners of the Northwest Territories, people want to work and if nobody knows in that government, in that department where these jobs are, how will Northerners know? What will the Minister do? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you. We have recruitment and marketing strategies to fill vacancies. That’s what we’re doing. We’re working with the department. Every effort is being made. PeopleSoft is not actually a person; PeopleSoft is a system that we go to, to capture information from. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. A little bit of order here. Order! Okay, oral questions. The Member for Range Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on my Member’s statement and I have some questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I mentioned in my statement I’m looking at an inclusive schooling review that has been mentioned by the Minister a number of times and I think the latest statement by the Minister was that the Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative was going to involve a review of inclusive schooling. So the ERI work that either has taken place already or that is taking place now, I’d like to know whether or not the department has undertaken or will undertake as part of the ERI work, a review of the inclusive schooling funding formula. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the whole inclusive schooling is part of the ERI that we are moving forward and developing an

action plan. We are currently in the process of reviewing the inclusive schooling directive and funding consultation, of course, engaging the education authorities. The review will be completed no later than the end of this year, 2013-14, because we want it to be part of the action plan as we move forward.

So, as I indicated, the education boards and the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association will be part of the working group. We wanted to involve those individuals and that would have the most positive impact in the communities with all the school boards and the community members. So, yes, we will be reviewing. Mahsi.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. I got a little confused there. The Minister started off saying that they were doing a review and then I think he said that they will do a review, so I’d like a little clarification.

Is the review underway, and if so, who is undertaking that review for the department? Is it an internal review or is it somebody external that is doing the review for the department?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

What I said is it is under review. As part of the whole inclusive schooling, it will be part of the education renewal. That’s what I was referring to. Inclusive schooling is currently under review. By 2013-14, the end of this year, we want to have the product at hand. We are, as a department, going through the review process, again, working with the school boards and the superintendents, the NWTTA, through their program support teachers, engaging them and providing recommendations. Those recommendations will be brought forward to my attention and I will be sharing that with the standing committee in due time.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. I’m glad to hear that something’s going to be done by the end of March. I think he said the end of ’13-14, so that’s in about three weeks’ time. I’m very glad to hear that. I didn’t hear an answer to my question of who is doing the review.

Has the department hired a contractor or are they doing the review internally?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

When I said no later than the end of 2013-14, I want to bring this back to session in the spring session, the May and June Legislative Assembly. That is my overall target and goals and objectives to deliver that. I have to get back to the Member on who has been hired as a contractor to deliver this review of inclusive schooling as part of the education renewal.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I look forward to receiving that

information on who is doing the review. The Minister indicates that we’re going to get something in the May/June session, and I appreciate that.

I guess I would like to ask the Minister, if the department has the review completed prior to that, would he circulate the review to Members, particularly the Standing Committee on Social Programs electronically prior to May/June?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Once

the

information is available to me, then I will be more than willing to share that with the standing committee.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In January the Minister of Transportation accompanied me on a tour of the Mackenzie Delta and while we were in Tsiigehtchic the community asked a question to the department, so I’d like to also ask the same question to the Minister.

Has the department considered starting at 8:00 a.m. until midnight as suggested by the community of Tsiigehtchic?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we are considering that. We wrote to the contractor. I sent a letter off to the contractor asking if there were any issues or detriments to us following the hours that were suggested by the community of Tsiigehtchic.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

A reason a lot of the Members wanted this change in hours was a lot of people are missing their flights to Inuvik because of the delays that happen in the morning.

I’d like to ask the Minister, will these hours be in place this coming spring?

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

In the letter that I sent to the contractor, it is for this coming season. We had asked them to consider doing it this coming season. We had a very clear explanation from the community why that was an issue. It is sort of the crossing from Tsiigehtchic to both sides of the Mackenzie, as well, so we recognize there are delays there. We’ve put that in the letter and we’re asking that a decision be made for this season.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees

on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Waste Reduction and Recovery Program, Annual Report.” Thank you.