Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was on volunteer firefighters in the community. Mr. Speaker, we need to get an integrated approach where all small communities can develop a standardized system service model to maximize the limited technical expertise in the Territory. This must be coordinated at the regional level to work so it can work in each different community and each fire department. Will this government implement this model before the end of this term? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member makes a very good point and it’s a concern we’ve heard from a lot of small communities in the Northwest Territories. Recognizing that, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs -- and I think we’re going to be debating it when our budget comes forward -- have identified funding to start a training process, because we see our responsibility as being able to get out there at the regional level, have regional training workshops, get into the communities, work with the firefighters in the communities in identifying their needs and their shortcomings as far as training goes. The department has taken it upon itself to put forward this initiative and -- we’re looking at after the budget’s past on April 1st -- being able to get out in the communities and start working with them identifying their firefighting needs. Thank you.
Considering small and remote communities are more susceptible to house fires -- we have the highest number of deaths per capita in Canada -- this government will work with the local fire marshals in finding funding sources to develop real capacity in each community with the funding Thank you.
[Microphone turned off] …to use this funding to identify capacity in the community and work with the communities to improve it where we’re able to. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, considering the volunteer firefighters are risking their lives to protect the communities that they live in, can we implement a comprehensive checklist and systems whether everything is proper, valves functioning, breathing apparatuses, heated fire truck facilities, and proper safety gear and training? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, that would be the goal of the department, too, is to ensure that all local firefighters are well trained and the fire marshal and assistant fire marshal would be able to go through the equipment with them and do a checks and balance of all the equipment they have, to make sure things are working properly. It is our goal to ensure that we work with the communities as best we can to ensure that their fire departments are properly trained. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for that. The firefighters in each community... Can we look forward to getting some help in regard to getting new bunker gear and new breathing apparatuses and heated garages in some communities, please and thank you?
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to make sure that the Minister commits to me today that he comes in to the small and remote communities all across the Territory and makes sure our firefighters are protected and properly equipped. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we would go into the community and work with the community to identify the shortcomings as far as their firefighting ability goes. As far as equipment goes, we’ll help them to identify the equipment that they need and then they would have to work with the municipal government to ensure and they would have the ability to purchase the equipment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
