N.W.T. gov’t sees boost in Indigenous hiring after overhaul of affirmative action policy

By Devon Tredinnick

The N.W.T. government says it’s seen a boost in Indigenous hiring since overhauling its affirmative action policy — though it’s unclear how much can be attributed to that policy change.

The territory introduced an affirmative action policy in 1989 and then replaced it in late 2024 with a new Indigenous employment policy.

The new policy differs in that it applies equally to all Indigenous Canadians, removing existing priority groups—known as P1s and P2s—which prioritized N.W.T.-born Indigenous residents, and long-time residents who are not Indigenous. 

When the government replaced the affirmative action policy, Indigenous employment in the territorial government was at the lowest percentage on record, according to a report from the territory last year. Despite making up about half of the territory’s population, Indigenous people accounted for about 29 per cent of the public service workforce at the time. 

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance says the territory’s employment rate for Indigenous people is now at more than 33 per cent.

For the last fiscal year, the territory says it hired 196 Indigenous workers, making up a little more than a quarter of all new hires. During the previous year, the government says, it hired 158 Indigenous employees under its affirmative action policy, representing less than 20 per cent of hires. 

Gov’t will track origins of Indigenous hires

It’s unclear how many of the Indigenous people hired by the territory since 2024 are from the N.W.T., or from elsewhere.

According to the finance department, the territory “does not have comprehensive data to report on distinctions” between Indigenous people from within and outside the Northwest Territories, and said the territory plans to change that by creating a verification process for new hires.

“This process will allow employees to confirm or update their Indigenous priority status and will support improved data collection and reporting,” the email reads. It does not say when that will happen.

There are other reasons that could also explain the rise in Indigenous hires, like Indigenous representation on job selection committees, and eligibility lists which the territory suggests likely affected hire rates.

Concerns remain, MLA says

The territory’s new Indigenous employment policy has been contentious since it was introduced. Jane Weyallon Armstrong, the MLA for Monfwi, says she still has concerns and questions about what it means for her community.

“I haven’t seen or heard of anybody getting any employment under that new policy,” she said.

Weyallon Armstrong says the territory should be tracking where the new Indigenous hires are coming from.

If the increase in Indigenous hiring is coming from the south, it puts the future of her community at risk, she says, because local residents might have to start looking elsewhere for work. 

“They’re going to go somewhere,” she said. “Because they have to live, they have to support themselves and they have to support their families.”

In a text message to CBC News, Dehcho MLA Sheryl Yakelyla also says she hasn’t heard of an uptick in employment in her riding.

Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek was not available for an interview before deadline, but a spokesperson for her office says the territory will have more information on this in the coming weeks.

Previously, Wawzonek has said the new policy would ensure opportunities for Indigenous employees within the public service., 

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