Thank you, Madam Speaker. Prior to 1989, this government recognized an inequity with respect to the lack of Indigenous representation in the GNWT public sector. In an attempt to address that inequity, the Affirmative Action Policy was established. The policy was designed to offer priority hiring to candidates belonging to eligible designated groups that are underrepresented within the public service. These groups include not only Indigenous persons, but also recognize Indigenous non-Aboriginal persons, resident disabled persons, and resident women.
The intent of the Affirmative Action Policy goes further than just trying to meet quotas for an eligible target group. Included is the need for training, promotions, and counselling of potential candidates. Subsequently, in 2009, this government further established the Indigenous Employment Advisory Committee with the intent of actively increasing representation of Indigenous persons at all levels of public service.
To this day, even with the policy and committee in place, our government has failed to meet its intent and goals for Aboriginal people. Our inclusion of Indigenous Aboriginal employees in the public service has advanced slowly, and it appears to have stalled. I hear concerns from potential candidates who I know possess the experience and education for the position they applied on but who then say they are routinely turned away or screened out of the interview process. I then asked myself: what is the real stumbling block to recruitment of Indigenous people into the public service? I know it's not the lack of qualified Aboriginal peoples in the NWT.
This brings me to the matter of the interview process and format. I am of the belief that our failure starts at the first stage of recruitment and, as with the qualification requirement, interview format and interview process. Due to cultural differences, the current process and format does not acknowledge, give way to, and respect Aboriginal Indigenous knowledge and the way we learn, communicate, or present ourselves during the interview process.
No matter how many policies we have in place, no matter how many committees we have in place, we will not make a difference without the political will; political direction to bureaucracy; a policy that is clear, concise, and unambiguous; and a process that adopts and recognizes Indigenous people and our culture. If we expect success in increasing Indigenous Aboriginal participation in the public sector, then we must review the existing Affirmative Action Policy and recruitment process and be willing to commit that political will. Thank you, Madam Speaker.