Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, areas near Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution are under constant pressure, various pressures from industry to extract non-renewable resources from the land. Mr. Speaker, I realize the responsibility for monitoring the land and water from an environmental perspective lies with the federal government; however, Mr. Speaker, the communities feel that our government should take some responsibility to ensure that the land and water is protected from environment degradation.
Currently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has responsibility for wildlife and forestry. It would be an easy fit for the department to post environmental officers in the communities of Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution and by having those officers work with renewable resource officers currently in place in those communities.
Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about environmental protection officers. They respond to things like fuel spills. These positions are valuable too. However, the communities need officers that will check the changes in the water and changes on the land as early as resource exploration is taking place.
Mr. Speaker, I stood up in this House in the past and spoke about how we can increase employment rates in small communities and how little presence the GNWT, our government, has in the rural and remote communities. Mr. Speaker, these communities have people that are very competent in these areas and by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources creating these positions, they will have a presence in the very key area of non-renewable resource development.
Currently, Mr. Speaker, the communities and our government rely on the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Board to ensure work like environmental assessments and environmental impact statements and reviewing any type of development reports are completed. The creation of these positions will allow the communities to be closer linked with any non-renewable resource development or potential resource development being contemplated on their land and water. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
