The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for infrastructure.

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, ekati. Yesterday, I received a call after rise of the House that there was a civilian plane, with Russian nationales, that had landed in Yellowknife. It appears that the plane and its passengers were on their way to Resolute, Nunavut, with the intention of taking a planned Arctic overland expedition in a large all-terrain utility vehicle.

Ekati, the Government of Canada takes its border and national security responsibility very seriously. The safety and protection of Canadians are at the top of its priorities.

I can assure you that all travelers arriving into Canada are subject to strict screening measures and must demonstrate that they meet all entry requirements. Yesterday, federal officials attended the arrival of a private aircraft -- I'm just shaking. When I got the call, I was like oh my. Sorry, I'm even -- hard to explain what some of the -- the answers are.

So this flight has been grounded as per government orders. So Transportation Canada is working with Canadian Border Services to assess this matter. Transport Canada will review whether there has been any violation on the recently announced notice to airmen prohibiting Russian aircraft owned, chartered, or certified, from operating in Canadian air space. Potential consequences and enforcement actions will be determined once the facts are clear.

Of course, we're all aware of the terrible and unjustified invasion in the Ukraine, and I appreciate that we're all extra watchful. You know, this world, including those of us in the Northwest Territories, remain concerned about the Russian government's aggression towards its peaceful neighbours. Quyananni, ekati.

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I don't think she expects me to ask another question but I will anyway.

You know -- you know, just looking at the events, and I would like to ask the Minister if she's had any further discussions, I guess, going forward to address, you know, what would happen if we see any -- you know, anything happening north -- in the northern part of the territory, because it's -- it's -- you know, this is a serious situation, and I just want to make sure that the people in the territory know what's going on and, you know -- and especially in the North. And I know I've read some news articles now where the government -- and there's more interest actually in maybe throwing some money at the North just because of what's happening in the Ukraine. Thank you.

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Quyananni, ekati. The international security, including Arctic security, is the lead on the federal government. But we communicate with them about the safety of our territory on an ongoing basis. Thank you, ekati.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance, and it's more again towards the Indigenous Career Gateway Program. Although I'm glad that the Minister has reported that ICGP is fully subscribed, one thing is an issue is that when people are hired in this program they are hired at 80 percent of the wage.

So my questions are according to the policy where candidates meet the qualification, the position -- that the government provides the department with $40,000 towards the salary. So are those positions then at 80 percent, or are those a full-time position -- like, they get the full salary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not entirely sure I followed the Member's point. The point with the ICGP, the Indigenous Career Gateway Program, is certainly, like -- is intended to hire someone in who wouldn't otherwise be qualified for the position but then provide them the training so that they could be trained into the position. Once they're trained up, they'd be fully capable of the position and therefore would be getting paid their full salary. So I don't have the specific policy in front of me, Mr. Speaker, but that's certainly the intent of all of these programs for recruitment, is to bring someone in and make sure that they achieve the position and are fully paid to be in that position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do have the policy in front of me, and it does specifically say, where the candidate meets the qualification of the position, the department will be provided with the prorated amount of 40,000 per year to put towards the employee's salary.

So they should be getting the full salary.

And the second part, it says those who do not meet the requirements are given 40,000 which they then get -- you know, 80 percent of the salary, or it's prorated towards training.

So I guess my question is is those ones that are put on the trainee part, the MOU, with -- are they provided with learning plans and goals that are -- need to be achieved for this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I still do want to double check that we are all talking about the same ones. There is also a secondment policy whereby there is $40,000 provided specifically to support secondments between staff and public servants at the GNWT and public servants in Indigenous governments. So there is a $40,000 amount there, although I will say, Mr. Speaker, because it's happened in my own departments, that where needed, departments will fund up in order to meet any gap that an individual employee may have.

And then as for training plans, yes, the point for programs like the Indigenous Career Gateway Program is exactly that, that there is supposed to be a training plan put in place to bring the individual as quickly as possible to the level that's required so that they meet the actual qualifications and can then assume the position in completeness but through a plan and not just ad hoc. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm reading Indigenous Career Gateway Policy. So it is this policy, so there are different parts of it. And so my question is, is if an employee has a learning plan and is hired as a trainee under a trainee MOU and they meet these goals as a trainee -- and I'll use myself as an example.

When I was hired as a trainee for the manager of acute care, it was a one year trainee but I met the goals within probably two or three months and then I was offered the position fully because there was no more learning goals for me to achieve.

So is this -- my question is is that if an employee is hired in this, will they be appointed and given the actual salary of the job if they're now doing the job and they have no more training goals? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the policy in front of me. But that certainly is my understanding, that the point of having a training plan is to bring the person to the position so that they can achieve that position and be in that role and not be in an acting -- or not be in a trainee role anymore. So that certainly is my expectation. I will go back to the department and ensure that it is their expectation. And if there's any gaps in this policy, we will be looking at them as part of the recruitment framework. The point of the policy is to get folks into these roles from across the territory, have them trained, and ready to assume their positions and ready to assume the responsibilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister, that she's going to go and then go back to her staff to look at this, because I would really hate to see somebody sitting for two years in a position when they've met all their goals. It's just another, you know, imbalance again with Indigenous and non-Indigenous. And if I was in -- the employee doing the same -- in the job doing the same work as everybody else but being paid 80 percent less with no more learning goals, you know, I'm glad that there's a commitment, and I'm hoping that we can add this to our list of things that we can discuss when I do meet with her and her head of her HR department. Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, we could certainly speak to it although, obviously, a great number of the public service does, of course, look at what's happening here in the House and it's coming in as quickly as I'm speaking that, yes, my understanding is correct. When somebody meets their goals, when they hit the 100 percent, then they do indeed -- they do indeed move up. So I'm still happy to the speak to the Member further about this, but that understanding is correct. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.