Michael Miltenberger

Yes, Mr. Chairman, that’s the intent. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have had a change to that five kilowatt. The Power Corp has gone to the Public Utilities Board to eliminate the standby charge for solar photovoltaic systems over five kilowatts in size, allowing the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to proceed with up to 75 kilowatts of solar installations in five diesel communities over the next two years.

One of the other things that’s happened, as it was announced earlier in the House, we’ve consolidated our energy functions now into Public Works and Services, and they’re now going to be looking after those types of...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We’ll flag this issue for discussions with ITI to make sure it’s clear as we look at this. As the weather conditions and drought continues and the extreme events happen there are going to be hard choices to be made when people choose to live great distances away from fire protection. As the deputy said, we do our absolute best to be there for all the people, but as the number of people living outside of community boundaries proliferates, it’s going to be more and more problematic, but it’s an issue that we will flag at the lodge level with ITI.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The intent would be to use special warrants and short-term borrowing.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is money that is just being transferred over from ITI that was previously administered through that department and flowed into ENR. So it’s not new money. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We encourage all folks that live outside of the community boundaries, if they can get it, to get insurance. If they can’t, then they have to make sure that they take every step to protect themselves, fire smarting their own property, investing in sprinklers, investing in all the things you need in the event that there is a wildfire. Other than that, we don’t have much involvement in what would be in their licence in that regard. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Member for his comments in regards to the morel mushroom situation. Our plan A is to come forward in time for passage in the May/June session with a very small amendment to the existing Forestry Act that will give us authority to manage the morel mushroom situation. At the same time, over the longer term, the plan is to come forward and bring renewal or redoing of the Forestry Act to bring it into the 21st century. That will be a longer term project that will take place in the life of the 18th Assembly.

Plan B is if we can’t get that small, modest amendment...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Member for his comments. In regards to the fire crews, I’ll let the deputy speak to that.

As well, I appreciate the comments about the Take a Kid Trapping. Those programs will continue to provide a high level of service in that regard.

In regards to the half-time position, at this point there are no plans to increase that to a full-time, but we will make note of the community’s interest in that area and will ask the deputy to speak to the fire crews. Thank you.

I do, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. I will commit to provide all the most current information to the Members before the end of the week. Thank you.