Debates of February 24, 2016 (day 5)

February
24
2016
Session
18th Assembly, 2nd Session
Day
5
Speaker
Jackson Lafferty
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Blake, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Ms. Green, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. McNeely, Hon. Alfred Moses, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. O’Reilly, Hon. Wally Schumann, Hon. Louis Sebert, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Vanthuyne
Assembly Members
Topics
Committee Motion 10-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Addition of Text Regarding Taxation on Small Businesses, Carried
Committee Motion 11-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Addition of Text Regarding Amendments to the Heritage Fund Act, Carried
Committee Motion 12-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Energy Sources, Carried
Committee Motion 13-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Energy Efficiency, Carried
Committee Motion 14-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Community Governments Addressing Energy Efficiency, Energy Conservation and Climate Change,
Committee Motion 15-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Universal Day Care, Carried
Committee Motion 16-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Addition of Text Regarding Affordable Day Care, Carried
Committee Motion 17-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Enhanced Home and Community Care Services, Carried
Committee Motion 18-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Palliative Care Services, Carried
Committee Motion 19-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Addition of Text Regarding the Territorial Anti-Poverty Action Plan and Deletion of Text Regarding the Anti-Poverty Strat
Committee Motion 20-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Addition of Text Regarding a Healing Program for Men, Carried
Committee Motion 21-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Physical Activity Strategy, Carried
Committee Motion 22-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Appeal of Government Decisions, Carried
Committee Motion 24-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Women in Politics, Carried
Committee Motion 25-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Replacement of Text Regarding Gender Equity in Appointments, Carried
Committee Motion 26-18(2): Tabled Document 1-18(2): Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, Motion for Formal Adoption of Tabled Document 1-18(2) as Amended, Carried
Member’s Statement on Aboriginal Inmates in Northwest Territories Corrections Facilities
Member’s Statement on Addressing Workplace Bullying
Member’s Statement on Bullying in the Residential School Environment
Member’s Statement on Forest Fire Protection Plans in the Deh Cho
Member’s Statement on Impacts of Bullying
Member’s Statement on Infrastructure Requirements for Southern Mackenzie Highway
Member’s Statement on International Pink Shirt Day
Member’s Statement on Northwest Territories Fur Industry
Member’s Statement on Offering Senior Secondary School Education in Tsiigehtchic
Member’s Statement on Support for Anti-Bullying Initiatives
Member’s Statement on Tribute to Ruth Spence, Order of the Northwest Territories Recipient
Minister’s Statement 6-18(2): Finalizing Aboriginal Rights Agreements in the NWT
Minister’s Statement 7-18(2): Early Childhood Intervention Pilot Projects
Minister’s Statement 8-18(2): Education Week 2016
Minister’s Statement 9-18(2): Minister Absent from the House
Motion to Amend Committee Motion 13-18(2) Regarding Energy Efficiencies, Defeated
Question 48-18(2): Community Wildfire Protection Plans
Question 49-18(2): Infrastructure for Southern Portion of Highway No. 1
Question 50-18(2): Programs to Reduce Recidivism Rates
Question 51-18(2): Care Aids at Stanton Territorial Hospital
Question 52-18(2): Supporting the Northwest Territories Fur Industry
Question 53-18(2): Safe School Regulations and Code of Conduct
Question 54-18(2): Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link Project
Question 55-18(2): Providing Senior Secondary School Education in Tsiigehtchic
Question 56-18(2): Wage Subsidy for Child Care Workers
Question 57-18(2): Working for Safe Schools
Question 58-18(2): Update on Open Government Policy
Question 59-18(2): Planning for the 2016 Wildfire Season
Recorded Vote
Tabled Document 11-18(2): Worker’s Safety and Compensation Commission of Northwest Territories and Nunavut 2015-2017 Strategic Plan
Tabled Document 12-18(2): Aurora College Annual Report 2014-2015
Statements

Question 59-18(2): Planning for the 2016 Wildfire Season

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of years we've had some very big fire seasons that cost the government a lot of money. I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources if there is a plan for the fire season this coming summer? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT continues to be under severe seasonal drought conditions in a large portion of the NWT. ENR continues to implement strategies and objectives identified in the 2011 program review and the 2014 fire season to improve delivery of the programs the coming seasons.

I'd like to ask the Minister if the experts in his department have made predictions on what type of fire season we may encounter this summer and as far as size, number and complexity.

We continue to monitor snowfall for this seasons, but I have previously said to the Member, we continue to see the NWT in the drought conditions, so it's hard to predict what type of fire season we're going to have.

As the Minister said, drought seasons continue, so we may anticipate a big fire season, a fire season of many fires, many complexes. I'd like to ask the Minister if the plan is to use our own people to fight those fires or bring people from other jurisdictions.

Depending on the type of fire season we have, if we have a normal or below-normal fire season, we will continue to use our own resources. Anything beyond that, we may have to pull in other people from other jurisdictions.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to consult with Regular Members before a decision to bring firefighters from other jurisdictions?

As the Member knows, the complexity of some of these fires and the nature of them, if we have time we will definitely consult.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to Item 5 on the orders of the day.