Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just with regard to what Mr. Aumond was saying to the youth corps with the funding for the Take a Kid Trapping Program, some of the communities, such as Tuktoyaktuk, could the RWED office manage the funding to give to the people like for an elder to get the funding? Because the community corps or the hamlet doesn’t want to take on that funding role with regard to the paper trail that has to follow. Could the RWED officer do that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am just picking up from my colleague Mr. Krutko’s questioning in regards to the equipment and the comments from the Minister regarding the bunker year and the Scott Air Packs and the funding that could reallocate the funding from the training into getting gear. Is that possible? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, this is in regards to that. It is pretty tough to fight a fire when you don’t have the proper gear in the communities that are one of the smaller communities. In Sachs Harbour, all their bunker gear was soaked in sewage. They tried to wash it out. They can’t get the stink out. I think if the fire marshal’s office would go into the community, the fire truck is still, I think, in the cold storage. Just people’s safety, like Mr. Krutko said. There are fires in the communities that we have trouble fighting fires. You are on the defence if you can’t go in the offensive stages of a...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today I speak on housing. I’d like to see if we could get a rent scale. We’ve been bringing this up steady. I know that the Minister and the department have been looking into a three-tier system of dropping our rents down. We own these units outright by now. They’re very old units but well maintained. Most of them. If we could put a three-tiered system in from, say, your max rent would be $1,200, your minimum would be $800, and your low would be $600, and then not penalizing people who go and get part-time work. In the smaller communities people don’t want to go out...

Mr. Speaker, considering the volunteer firefighters are risking their lives to protect the communities that they live in, can we implement a comprehensive checklist and systems whether everything is proper, valves functioning, breathing apparatuses, heated fire truck facilities, and proper safety gear and training? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was on volunteer firefighters in the community. Mr. Speaker, we need to get an integrated approach where all small communities can develop a standardized system service model to maximize the limited technical expertise in the Territory. This must be coordinated at the regional level to work so it can work in each different community and each fire department. Will this government implement this model before the end of this term? Thank you.

We need to desperately overhaul completely the fire halls in our remote communities. What I’m especially concerned about is the lack of equipment and resources for community firefighters to enter a house and search for people trapped in the fire. I hope no community or firefighter in the NWT will have to experience this, but if they do, we must equip them. They’re risking their lives to service and protect our communities. At least we can train them and equip them accordingly.

I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for that. The firefighters in each community... Can we look forward to getting some help in regard to getting new bunker gear and new breathing apparatuses and heated garages in some communities, please and thank you?

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to make sure that the Minister commits to me today that he comes in to the small and remote communities all across the Territory and makes sure our firefighters are protected and properly equipped. Thank you.

Considering small and remote communities are more susceptible to house fires -- we have the highest number of deaths per capita in Canada -- this government will work with the local fire marshals in finding funding sources to develop real capacity in each community with the funding Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour for me today to recognize Beverly Amos. She’s from Sachs Harbour. Welcome to the House, Beverly. She’s also with the Aboriginal Languages Board. Thank you very much.