You're welcome to read that if you want. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

8. Incentives to Attract, Train and Retain Youth and Students

Committee heard loud and clear that Indigenous youth are the future of the NWT. Incentives to attract, train, and retain Indigenous students by developing practicum and co-op placements within vacant GNWT positions, and transitioning students from Aurora College into GNWT jobs, are essential to increasing Indigenous representation and retention across the GNWT.

Committee heard about the need to track the number of Indigenous youths seeking public service employment under programs such as the Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP), Summer Student Employment Program, and internships in all communities.

Committee believes that advertising youth development in small communities, recruiting Indigenous students, and allowing more time for students to apply for job postings, will help increase the number of Indigenous youths working in their home communities.

Recommendation 9: Committee recommends that the GNWT work towards increasing the participation of Indigenous students in all programs, grants, and contributions focused on youth, by:

• Advertising the availability for youth development and making it known in small communities.
• Creating recruitment campaigns in small communities so youth can participate in existing programs and apply for positions.
• Having an advocate for youth and students in each department.
• Creating and tracking hiring targets in all communities for Indigenous youth seeking public service employment under programs such as SNAP, summer students, and internships.

And further, that the Department of Finance re-structure the Summer Student Employment Program to:

• Allow a more extended period for students to apply; and,
• Require managers to hire Priority 1 summer students and deplete the Priority 1 candidate list before considering non-Priority 1 students, ensuring not to leave one Priority 1 student candidate without summer employment.

9. Ensuring Cultural Safety, Support, and Advocacy

Most submissions and comments outlined the need to support Indigenous employees in the workplace. Residents described this support as ideally coming out of a team approach with Indigenous individuals helping new employees feel safe in the work environment and assisting with career advancement.

The committee gave much thought to the recommendation for the GNWT to require each department to have one Indigenous employee support person. Committee also heard concerns about retaliation and the dysfunction of the appeals process. To avoid potentially targeting one designated employee in a department, committee looked to the existing Diversity and Inclusion Unit and the recently created Indigenous patient advocates positions.

Committee heard from people in all regions about the need for more support to be made available for Indigenous employees in the public service. As a result, committee considered that a new position should be created that is dedicated solely to providing additional support and guidance to Indigenous employees to help them flourish in their jobs.

To accomplish this, committee suggests that the government use the newly created Indigenous patient advocate position within the Department of Health and Social Services as a template for establishing a new advocate position offered to Indigenous employees in the public service.

In addition, committee finds that the best avenue to provide additional support to Indigenous employees is to work with the existing Indigenous Employee Advisory Committee within the Diversity and Inclusion Unit under the Department of Finance. Supports offered should include counselling services, support for addictions, and all supports should use trauma-informed language and practices.

Recommendation 10: Committee recommends to the GNWT that all departments have in place support for Indigenous employees, and:

• Look to the Indigenous patient advocates positions implemented by the Department of Health and Social Services as a model of how to provide support.
• Work with the Indigenous Employee Advisory Committee and the Diversity and Inclusion Unit to provide support.
• Offer pathways and leave to access counselling and addictions services.
• Apply trauma-informed language and practices as a norm.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to pass this to my colleague for Yellowknife North, Mr. Rylund Johnson. Mahsi.