Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks the GNWT launched its remote work policy. This policy sets out the rules and conditions for GNWT employees to work away from job sites potentially in a different community or even outside the territory. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that there is a clear need for a remote work policy. Over the past two years, many employees were forced to work from home. Some of these employees found that they prefer the flexibility of working remotely while still being able to do their jobs well. And if it's implemented properly, the policy holds possibility to make jobs at headquarters available to residents in the smaller communities without having to leave home. But I am concerned with that in practice the opposite will happen. Positions in smaller communities will be filled by people who already live in or will move to Yellowknife. And, more generally, GNWT positions will be filled by people who live in or who have moved to other provinces and territory.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister, when I ask the Minister about this later she'll probably say that the various rules, principles, guidelines, toolkits should stop this from happening, or at least minimize it. But I am not sure that the policy will have such a small effect.
According to a News North report, as of February 1st there were 29 employees working outside the territory. While some of these 29 were approved for reasons besides the remote work policy, it's still a big number, especially considering that these numbers were only two business days after the remote work policy was announced.
I am concerned that this is just the beginning and that over the next months and years, more GNWT jobs will be done by people living in the south and community jobs done by people living in Yellowknife. Of course I hope that my fears are proven wrong but then I remember that GNWT already has problems with hiring local and with Indigenous recruitment and retention. I am worried that with all these policies and guidelines and checklists and community positions will be filled outside of Yellowknife and there aren't the right mechanisms to verify that employees actually live where they say they do. I will have more questions later for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
