Jay Macdonald

Député de Thebacha

Circonscription électorale de Thebacha 

Jay Macdonald a été élu député de la circonscription de Thebacha à la 20e Assemblée législative des Territoires du Nord-Ouest. M. Macdonald a été élu au Conseil exécutif de la 20e Assemblée.

M. Macdonald est né le 26 juin 1964 à Hay River, aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest. En tant que Métis, il a des racines profondes dans le Nord canadien, et son parcours a été marqué par diverses expériences qui ont enrichi sa vie personnelle et professionnelle.

La famille de M. Macdonald s’est installée à Fort Smith en 1970. Il a exploité avec succès son petit atelier de réparation de moteurs, fournissant des services essentiels à la collectivité et s’imposant comme un entrepreneur fiable. Simultanément, il s’est plongé dans les subtilités de la gestion des installations de loisirs, en supervisant les activités de l’aréna et du terrain de golf de la ville.

Pendant les 13 années où il a occupé le poste de directeur des services de gestion forestière à la Division de l’environnement et de la conservation du gouvernement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, M. Macdonald a fait preuve d’un engagement inébranlable en faveur de l’environnement. Le rôle qu’il a joué pendant 12 ans en tant que coordonnateur du programme de parent d’accueil pour le Programme de leadership de l’Arctique de l’Ouest témoigne de son engagement envers la jeunesse. Pendant cinq ans, il a été parent d’accueil afin d’offrir un environnement stimulant aux élèves de Lutsel Ke qui fréquentent l’école secondaire PWK. Cette expérience a permis de mettre en évidence sa compassion, et a contribué de manière significative à l’épanouissement scolaire et personnel des élèves dont il s’occupait. S’appuyant sur son expertise de compagnon-technicien de petits équipements. 

M. Macdonald a passé 13 ans à la tête d’une concession Polaris et a servi d’instructeur pour l’entretien des petits équipements, la gestion du carburant d’aviation et les disciplines logistiques dans le cadre du Système de commandement d’intervention. Son engagement envers la collectivité va au-delà de ses fonctions professionnelles. En tant que bénévole dévoué, il a été président et entraîneur de l’équipe de hockey mineur de Fort Smith, et s’est efforcé d’encourager les jeunes et de leur inculquer les valeurs du travail d’équipe et de l’esprit sportif. Il a exercé ses talents d’entraîneur sur la scène nationale en dirigeant l’équipe des TNO lors des championnats nationaux de hockey autochtone.

En tant que représentant de la Nation des Métis de Fort Smith au sein du conseil d’administration de l’association scolaire de district locale, M. Macdonald a contribué à l’élaboration de politiques pédagogiques qui reflètent les besoins particuliers de la collectivité. En outre, il a été membre du conseil d’administration et président de la Commission de l’apprentissage et de la qualification professionnelle des métiers et professions des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, rôle lui ayant permis de militer en faveur de la reconnaissance et de la promotion des métiers spécialisés. L’engagement de M. Macdonald en faveur du bien-être de la collectivité est également confirmé par sa participation à diverses activités et événements locaux. Qu’il s’agisse d’être entraîneur au niveau amateur ou d’une autre forme de bénévolat, il a toujours œuvré à la création d’un tissu communautaire dynamique et cohésif.

En dehors de ses engagements professionnels et communautaires, M. Macdonald a une vie de famille bien remplie. Marié à Karen, il est fier papa de trois enfants et grand-père attentionné de trois petits-enfants. Pendant ses temps libres, il s’adonne à des passe-temps qui reflètent son amour du plein air et des vastes paysages nordiques comme le golf, la pêche et le jardinage.

Committees

Member Jay MacDonald, Minister MacDonald
Thebacha
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Ministre de l'Environnement et du Changement climatique
Ministre

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECC was aware that the communities in the area were at risk, and that is why the evacuation notice and then upgraded to the evacuation alert before finally being put on full evacuation. ECC and MACA have a wildfire event notification protocol advertising on what level of risk a wildfire may pose to a community. The protocol determines when and how ECC will advise MACA of the threat level to a community and when evacuation is recommended. The fire was between 25 and 30 kilometres to the north and west of the community at noon on August 13th, and the fire...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the idea of a public review of the events from the 2023 wildfire season has been top of mind for me from early days from when I started the end of my work with environment and climate change in the fire program into my campaign for MLA as I was elected to this House and as I became Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

One of the things that I want to emphasize today is I want to stand here and thank all of the people and the personnel and the firefighters and the GNWT staff who gave up so much through this event. They gave up time with their families...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have increased our resources. From last year's allocation, we brought on some extra rotary wing as well as by identifying the need and potential for holdover fires to have early activity in the spring of 2024. We are ensuring that our resources are brought on sooner and that the preparation work, which much of which started in the fall of 2023, is completed and prepared for a potential early start. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Yes, plans are already underway to start our fire crews and aviation contracts earlier in the season. This will allow training to happen sooner, especially on the resources that are in the South with the potential for additional early season fires. So we should have everything up and running in early May. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECC has a series of tools that are used to detect and monitor wildfires, including lightening detection, weather stations, fire detection towers, satellitebased remote sensing, and aircraft smoke patrols. In the event of a wildfire, additional monitoring is put in place depending on the location and nature of the fire. ECC's valueatrisk system automatically notifies managers of values that may be potentially at risk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can assure this House that the wildfire that went on to impact the community of Enterprise was initially attacked on the first day it was detected on August 2nd and was actioned consistently prior to the tragic event of August 13th. The fire crews actioned the fire was actioned by crews and aircraft that were allowed but the extreme fire conditions and extreme fire behaviour made fighting the fire very challenging.

The incident commander had daily contact with the regional emergency management organization. On August 13th, ECC officials contacted MACA...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the budget for the fire suppression program is a predetermined budget that is very much based on our contractual obligations. So typically, it is the practice of the department when we start our season earlier that there's a potential that we may have we may end the season earlier, but that is all really dependent on the level of activity and the amount of fires and resources that are required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Yes, the plan is to start our aviation contracts earlier in the year. Most of the contracts that we have for fixed wing aviation are longterm, multiyear contracts. And there's a provision within the contract through notification from the department to allow those contracts to start sooner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, fire towers have been used as one of the series of tools used by ECC to detect wildfires, including smoke patrols, lightening detection, networks, weather stations, satellite base and public reporting. The industry standard for fire towers is moving away from having people work in isolation for safety reasons. However, fire towers are being used to house communications, equipment, and detection cameras. ECC is investing in remote camera networking to provide 360degree coverage and operate 24 hours a day providing a proven and effective way to monitor new...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, I met with the Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks, Rebecca Schulz. We discussed issues of shared concern, including low water levels. We discussed the concern that had been raised by the NWT Indigenous governments, partners, and residents about our low water levels. We also discussed the water shortage advisory that is currently in place for the Hay River basin in Alberta along with many other water sheds in the province. Water use by temporary and longterm license holders has been affected. Through our transboundary water agreement with Alberta, there...