N.W.T. gov't aims for more representative workforce with new Indigenous hiring policy

The N.W.T. has overhauled its decades-old affirmative action hiring policy, in an attempt to see more Indigenous employees in the territorial government workforce.

Caroline Wawzonek, who as finance minister is responsible for the public service, announced the new Indigenous Employment Policy on Tuesday. It will replace the territory's Affirmative Action Policy from 1989 and come into effect in the spring.

Wawzonek said the new policy will "help ensure opportunities for Indigenous employees to grow, thrive, and take on leadership roles within the public service."

"Our overarching goal is to have a public service that embodies inclusivity so every public servant knows both the importance and value of not only their formal skills and abilities, but of their perspective and worldview."

Wawzonek acknowledged the existing policy has failed to make the public service more representative of the territory's population. Right now, about 29 per cent of the territory's workforce is Indigenous — a record low — compared to about 49 per cent of the overall population. 

At the same time, the unemployment rate among Indigenous people in the N.W.T. is also significantly higher than among non-Indigenous people — 14 per cent, compared to 1.3 per cent.

The new policy focuses only on Indigenous recruitment and retention, whereas the existing policy also prioritized other groups such as women or people with disabilities.

Wawzonek said the change in focus is based on what the government heard during consultations with various groups and the public.

"One of the things that came back actually quite loud, quite clear, is that groups with other distinctive characteristics don't necessarily want to have to self-identify, be defined by the [Government of N.W.T.], or find themselves being included by way of a hiring and retention policy — as opposed to a policy that actually changes the culture and workplace," Wawzonek said.

"So that's part of what's reflected obviously in this policy, but then also is what then has to be reflected back into our diversity and inclusion framework."

That framework, introduced in 2023, outlines strategies for recruitment and hiring, and also things like training and mentorship within the workplace.

The new Indigenous Employment Policy will require government departments to prioritize Indigenous candidates for jobs, and also require those departments to report annually on hiring efforts. 

"This will allow us to have a more targeted, transparent approach to ensuring that the [Government of N.W.T.] is focused on increasing the number of Indigenous employees it has, and ensuring that the [government] is representative of the population it serves," said deputy minister William MacKay.

The new policy will differ from the existing one in that it will apply equally to any Indigenous Canadian. It will remove existing priority groups — known as P1s and P2s — which prioritized only N.W.T.-born Indigenous residents, and long-time residents who are not Indigenous. 

Wawzonek said she's heard that the boundaries of the N.W.T. and the current model doesn't necessarily reflect people's cultural ties.

MacKay also said the new policy will comply with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as national and international trade agreements — something that's often been questioned about the existing policy, he said. Officials say though that the new policy is not in response to a Charter challenge.

The new policy will come into effect in April. Officials say it will be measured annually by tracking workplace demographics, and reported publicly. That will allow the government to see whether the policy is effective, and make any adjustments. 

Until April, the existing affirmative action policy remains in effect.