University renews commitment to Native employment

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The University of Saskatchewan has signed a partnership agreement, renewing its pledge to hire more Native people and to develop more jobs for the province's burgeoning Aboriginal population.

University President Peter MacKinnon said the U of S will identify opportunities on campus for Aboriginal people in all job categories. MacKinnon made the announcement Dec. 20 along with Jack Hillson, the province's minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

"We expect to see marked progress," MacKinnon said during a signing ceremony on campus. "We have to be much more vigorous and I think we have not done a good job of that (in the past)."

The university's agreement is the latest development in a province-wide push to create more employment opportunities for Saskatchewan Native people, said Hillson.

During the past few years, the Saskatchewan government has been facilitating Native employment agreements with some of the province's largest employers including Crown corporations, health districts, and private sector organizations.

The U of S agreement is the 20th such deal to be signed in the province.

Hillson said existing employment programs have shown positive results but he stressed that more can be done to facilitate Native workers.

"This province simply doesn't have a future if we don't do something about Aboriginal unemployment," he said.

The University of Saskatchewan has had an employment equity plan in place since 1992. Nonetheless, the number of Aboriginal workers on the university's 6,000-person payroll has remained stagnant.

Right now, Native employees represent just one per cent of the university's total workforce. By comparison, Native people account for more than 12 per cent of the province's total population.

Under the new partnership agreement, the university and the province will work with Aboriginal groups, labor unions and the university community to develop short-term and long-term employment strategies.

According to recent demographic figures, there are approximately 120,000 Aboriginal people living in Saskatchewan. Studies show Aboriginal residents could make up 35 per cent of the province's population by the year 2045.

Aboriginal Affairs says there will be 46,000 Native people ready to enter the provincial workforce by 2012.

"It is important to see more opportunities available to Aboriginals in all aspects of the workforce," MacKinnon said.