Just with the Regional Recruitment Strategy, I’m glad that the Minister was able to explain it a bit. I’m really curious why he didn’t reference it specifically in his opening remarks, because it was a significant initiative by the Executive to say, look, you’ve got to start hiring our local people and our Aboriginals. I don’t know what the number is at now of empty positions, but I’m sure my colleagues must have asked that earlier as they deliberated this department.
A lot has to be said about some of these entry level positions being over-qualified. What happens there is that as our people look at the job requirements, they get, I don’t know, apprehensive, so it seems overbearing, and in reality it’s just entry level positions there. Has the department begun reviewing some of these entry level positions and making it easier for our Northerners and our Aboriginal people to apply for these positions, because I think that’s a huge part about these positions. Because I know that a lot of people don’t know that there’s training behind these positions.
A classic example that I use, I think it was in the Justice department where there was an entry level clerk position. They wanted them to have a legal terminology course and a few other things when in fact it was about being in the front line, about setting appointments and that kind of stuff, and a legal terminology course, that’s something that can be done afterwards. You know, let’s hire the people. I’ve always found that once people learn the job, learn the organization, they’re the ones that
become the longest lasting employees of any organization. It’s just a matter of getting in the door.
I’d just like to ask the Minister again about, I don’t know if it’s part of the 20/20 plan or is it part of the Regional Recruitment Strategy, when and how will they be reviewing a lot of these job descriptions?