Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So I take it from this discussion that the government will be looking at a comprehensive search and rescue protocol and approach for all regions. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. What had to happen this summer is that we actually had to get political and force the authorities to bring in cadaver dogs, get search and rescue people out there, and one of the failures was that we were unable to activate the Canadian Rangers, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps the Minister can tell this House what procedure is used to activate the Canadian Rangers to help us in our search and rescue efforts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. The residents of Fort Simpson have questioned the official slow response and limited resources during the first 48 hours of this search, which is the most critical time. The comprehensive coordination and initiation of resources and expertise within the community would have dramatically assisted with the efficiency and effectiveness of this operation.

What improvements are the RCMP making to their search and rescue approaches for the next time this happens? The community needs to know, Mr. Speaker, that something is being done and changes are...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the Member for Great Slave, that Minister’s Statement 24-15(4) be moved into Committee of the Whole.

I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is pleased to provide Notice of Presentation of the Pre-Budget Consultation Report and commends it to the House.

---Applause

The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight would like to report that we have now completed our pre-budget consultation process.

The committee received several written submissions and heard from over 100 individuals at our public hearings in Fort Good Hope, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Inuvik, Lutselk’e, Paulatuk, Trout Lake, Whatì and Yellowknife. We would like to thank all the members...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Do we have an established protocol in our government with respect to search and rescue, if the Minister can answer that question, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Justice with respect to my Member’s statement on search and rescue efforts throughout the summer in Nahendeh, and search and rescue in general. We pretty well had to reinvent the wheel when it came to organizing search and rescue efforts this summer, Mr. Minister. Is the Minister aware of any protocols governing search and rescue efforts in the NWT? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, I, too, welcome the new Member for Monfwi, Mr. Jackson Lafferty. Welcome.

Mr. Speaker, I am saddened to report that in the early summer, the community of Fort Simpson had two elders go missing and consequently lost their lives. Many residents, family and friends have expressed their enormous disappointment and frustration with the RCMP's weak search and rescue efforts.

Search and rescue should always involve the Canadian Rangers and other organizations with specific expertise in grid patterns, search abilities, mapping and local knowledge...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to report that the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight has reviewed Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005, and Bill 10, An act to Amend the Income Tax Act, and wishes to report that Bill 6 and Bill 10 are ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 70(5) and have Bill 6 and Bill 10 ordered into Committee of the Whole for tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.