Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, wildfires are an important part of the boreal forest, and naturally occurring fires are essential to ensuring forests remain healthy and sustainable. Allowing forest fires to burn where possible allows forests to regenerate and help to avoid larger and more dangerous fires later. All wildfires in the NWT are monitored and managed to ensure they do not pose a risk or threat to people, communities, infrastructure, or other assets.

Mr. Speaker, wildfire management starts before there is even a spark.

The Government of the Northwest Territories works with our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ENR hydrologists compile an annual spring water outlook report that assesses snow conditions and current water levels. These reports are or the reports this year was released to the public on April 25th, 2022. Daily water monitoring bulletins are generated during spring breakup, and they're shared with Municipal and Community Affairs and communities. As mentioned earlier, ENR hydrologists participated in the Town of Hay River and NWT's EMO calls as needed and when they required them to be there, they were there. The bulletins are made available by the department on its...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'm a bit early; however, I rise in this House today to congratulate the Class of 2022 for the two schools in Nahendeh riding. This year we see the Lidlii Kue Regional High School and Echo Dene School set to have their own celebrations for their graduates.

Mr. Speaker, these graduates completed school in the midst of a global pandemic. No doubt their life was disturbed. No doubt there was added stress. No doubt there was uncertainty.

Despite these challenges, or more accurately because of them, they are stronger. They are stronger students, having...

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said last week and with Trailblazer this morning, that the standardized list, item list will be posted out on the MACA website this week. We're hoping within the next couple of days. Along with information about what the list is about and how to use that to make claims for disaster assistance.

I need to tell the House and the Member and the public is that this list was developed last year during the flood. But we cannot use that same list. We need to when I say that, we need to make sure we update it. We've been working with the federal government. We...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has four contractors to provide abatement services in the town of Hay River and K'atlodeeche First Nations. The contractors are Arctic Canada Construction, Commercial NDS, Wilf's Restoration Limited, and WINMAR. Three of the four contractors are NWT BIP registered companies, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hear the concerns by my Member from Hay River South. I can tell you that as the Member that was with Nahendeh, I wasn't invited to those meetings as well. It's local EMO and the team that are doing the work. So I understand your frustrations about it, but it's the process, and that's how the work is done.

ENR hydrologists have worked close have close working relationships with their counterparts in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Yukon. They receive information about snow accumulation each spring and other information of water levels as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'll actually get the Minister of ENR to answer that question because it will be more of an ENR question.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has three dedicated hydrologists. During spring breakup, these three hydrologists assessed conditions and relay information on to Municipal and Community Affairs, communities, and residents regarding water levels and ice conditions and forecast weather. If required, they can reach out to other agencies and scientists such as Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada to assess...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can tell the House here after they receive their detailed assessment of damage, residents can request an advanced payment if they need money immediately for work that will prevent further damage to their property. The advanced payment is based on the value of damages from the detailed damage assessments. The maximum of an advancement for residents is $10,000 but there's ability to provide up to 50 percent of total values of the damage assessment.

The Member has asked about receipts and that. Yes, receipts are what you need. However, with the standardized...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Member for that question. And we've had this conversation numerous times over the past weekend I believe it was, when the Member went back home to meet with his constituents.

The GNWT is 100 percent paying for all detailed damage assessments and all additional abatement services. So we are paying a hundred percent. And these will not be part of the maximum from the 240 of the disaster assistance. It is all a GNWT cost moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.