Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m speaking on the firefighting equipment in the communities. Per capita the Northwest Territories has one of the highest rates of fire-related disasters that occur in small, remote communities. The remote fly-in communities with equipment to fight fires is seriously deficient.
Recently I received a response from Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Robert McLeod, commenting that the territorial fire marshal’s office is planning to conduct a community fire department capacity assessment. Today is October 29th. February 9th was the first time I brought this statement into the House. I can still say that the fire marshal hasn’t been to Tuk.
This government can save lots of money conducting assessments of Nunakput communities, and as MLA I can honestly say our equipment and infrastructure is inadequate and needs a complete overhaul.
The fire marshal’s office has mentioned time and again that community governments are responsible for the operation of their community fire departments and their office can provide advice and training from time to time. If the fire marshal’s office thinks they can come into communities and invest in improving the firefighting equipment to southern standards alone, then they are more out of touch. Where does a community like Paulatuk find hundreds of thousands of dollars for equipment? Sometimes when I visit various community fire halls, their equipment is not only old but incomplete. Why is this government continuing to place our firefighters in harm’s way just to reduce their budget?
I have visited Nunakput communities enough to know each community desperately needs a complete overhaul in their fire halls, Mr. Speaker. I mentioned previously they are risking their lives in service to protect their communities. The least we can do is have proper training and equip them accordingly.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
