Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The next is the third of five. So the next one is with respect to the accountability and limits for government direct appointments.
While the Public Service Act permits direct appointments during exceptional circumstances, routinely bypassing competitive hiring processes risks damaging public trust and institutionalizing bias. This practice can limit career advancement for long-term northern residents and directly conflict with affirmative action commitments. The issue is particularly critical during the final six months of an Assembly's mandate, making full disclosure of the economic and demographic justifications for all recent uncompetitive appointments essential for proper legislative oversight.
My questions are for the Minister of Finance:
- How many direct appointments have been made across all departments, boards, and agencies within the last six months, broken down by department and position level?
- What specific criteria or emergency thresholds must a department satisfy to bypass the competitive hiring process for senior management or executive roles?
- Will the Government commit to implementing a policy requiring formal caucus notification or real disclosures to all Members of the Legislative Assembly for any direct appointments made during the final six months of an Assembly's mandate?
- What is the total annual salary and benefits expenditure associated with the direct appointments executed during the last two fiscal years?
- How many of the direct appointments made in the past 12 months were granted to non-residents of the Northwest Territories, and what justification was provided for bypassing affirmative action priorities in those specific instances?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.