CITY OF PRINCE ALBERT LOOKS TO THE FUTURE WITH ABORIGINAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT

A growing economy and a city that will continue to need trained employees are two key reasons the City of Prince Albert today took a step toward a brighter future by signing on as the newest Aboriginal Employment Development (AED) partner.

Led by Saskatchewan's Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations, AED has as its overarching goal to see First Nations and Métis people achieve representation in the provincial workforce at all occupational levels in proportion to their population numbers. The initiative, signed at City Hall today, commits the city and province to work together to reduce barriers and open the workplace for increased First Nations and Métis participation.

"By joining with the Government of Saskatchewan and recognizing the importance of the First Nations and Métis workforce, the city of Prince Albert is ensuring that jobs will be welcoming to trained and qualified First Nations and Métis interested in careers with municipal governments," First Nations and Métis Relations Minister June Draude said.

"I am pleased with the partnership document and the direction that City Administration is moving," Prince Albert Mayor Jim Scarrow said. "The City is a large employer and needs to continue to take a leadership role in opening doors to Aboriginal applicants. The partnership agreement is a strategy that will help ensure we move toward a representative workforce."

"This agreement is not about hiring quotas, rather it is about laying the foundation to develop a better environment for First Nations and Métis individuals to be successful in pursuing and maintaining employment with the City of Prince Albert," Corporate Services director Chris Cvik said. "Through Misconception Training and close co-operation between the parties, the agreement provides the framework to prepare the workplace to become more representative of Aboriginal people and remove barriers in the workplace."

"Prince Albert stands as a gateway to the north and Saskatchewan's third largest urban centre," Draude said. "The First Nations and Métis communities already make up a significant portion of the population and we hope over time those same numbers will be reflected in the city workforce. We are lending our support through AED to help make that happen."

The AED initiative is focused on bringing the largely untapped First Nations and Métis workforce into Saskatchewan's growing economy. Through workplace audits, existing AED employer and union partners identify jobs into the future that will need trained employees. Educational institutions can then develop and offer programs to give First Nations and Métis people the skills they need to compete successfully for the open positions. All AED partners work to identify and address barriers to training, hiring and retaining First Nations and Métis employees.

With this signing, there are now 90 AED partnership agreements in place. Agreements have been signed with public and private sector employers, organized labour, government ministries, First Nations and Métis organizations, post-secondary institutions, and First Nations and Métis communities. Visit www.fnmr.gov.sk.ca/aedp/ to learn more.

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For more information, contact:

Sean St. George
First Nations and Métis Relations
Regina
Phone: 306-787-7177

Chris Cvik
Director of Corporate Services
City of Prince Albert
Phone: 306-953-4312