Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I talked about the reduction of crew sizes for firefighters across the territory. I'd like to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources questions. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise me how the overall crew configuration comes along with no actual job reductions? However, looking at it from a constituency point of view, there appears to be job reductions not only in one community of Fort Resolution, but I understand in Lutselk'e as well. I'd like to know where those positions have gone to, whether they have been amalgamated into other positions in the community or if they've left the community. Thank you.
Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the department anticipated this, we did a review a while back, a couple of years, on where we were going with fire crews. Over the last two fire seasons we've gone to basically having four four-man crews there with casual staff hired in these positions. We're still anticipating hiring these two individuals as casuals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I didn't hear that very last part of the response. I'll continue on with my questions. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain why positions were cut from small communities where seasonal and casual employees have no other options to find employment in the small communities?
Upon doing the review of the fire crews for the Northwest Territories, we changed from a five-man crew to a four-man crew and redistributed the resources territory-wide, and what the Member is saying is not totally accurate. We went from 28 crews to 36 crews across the Northwest Territories, and have added additional crews to a couple of communities, I think in Tsiigehtchic and Wekweeti.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the GNWT lays off positions or employees there's a process that help them identify new jobs where P1s have been eliminated. In situations where only the P1 is eliminated, whether it be filled by a casual or a seasonal employee, then that person that's impacted is the only one that has to deal with it. We need to go the extra mile to try to find positions. Can the Minister advise me what efforts were made to minimize the impacts on the change of the crew configuration so that people that used to be in those positions, maybe casuals, are given opportunities within that department or with other departments within the community? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In an attempt to minimize the impact of changes to the communities like Fort Resolution, ENR over the last two years, like I've said, has gone to only permanently hiring four out of the five-man crews. The fifth person for each crew has been hired on an as-and-when-needed basis as a casual for the summer.
Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if he can look at ways to ensure that PYs are restored in the communities. If the fifth firefighter in these communities is actually still there and still working as a casual, then that must mean that there's a function for the individual. I'd like to know if the Minister can restore the PY, whether it be in forest management or other areas that may be of interest to the casual or other areas within ENR mandate or other areas within the GNWT mandate to ensure that those PYs are not lost. Because they're not filled with actual positions, I can't really say employees, but it's just as important that the PYs remain in the small communities. Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the concern about PY positions in the communities. Moving forward, we will do what's deemed to fit the ENR's business practice as best as possible and we will continue to look at hiring as many people as possible in the communities as the fire season event moves on in the current fiscal year. We will try to hire more people as needed and we will be committed to that. ENR is always committed to hiring as many fire personnel in the communities as we can. I look forward to maybe discussing it with the Member. Thank you.
Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
