Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of ENR some questions on our FireSmart awareness campaign as we move into the new year and as move into the next few years about establishing a recognition program. I just wanted to speak of that Smokey the Bear-type campaign that is needed here in the Northwest Territories. Of course, we all know that Smokey the Bear is an advertising mascot created to educate the U.S. public about the dangers of forest fires, and one of the biggest ones is: Remember, only you can prevent forest fires. This was created in 1947 and today Smokey the Bear’s message is recognized in the U.S. by 90 percent of adults and 77 percent of children. So I believe we need something similar.
I was looking at the FireSmart Program and the closest thing we have to it is called Tuktu the Caribou. I’d like to ask the Minister for an education program, what’s the strategy going forward? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of ENR, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member will bear with me…
---Laughter
…I’ll try to answer that question. If the Member has a specific example about what particular type of education program he would suggest, I’d be happy to consider that, as long as it is not too unbearably expensive. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I’ll certainly bear with the Minister myself there. While Tuktu the Caribou is a noble name, I believe that we can also do better. There could be Blaze the Beaver, Fire-free Fox, Wise Owl, Wet Wolverine, but what I’m getting at is I believe that we need a territory-wide campaign, something that we can identify with as residents, as children to be fire-wise and to protect our environment and putting out fires as we cook, et cetera. But I believe that we need a centralized way to do it much like the Smokey the Bear campaign in the United States. Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate the Member’s suggestion and I’ll have a discussion with the department about how that would fit in. We’re only a couple of months away from fire season. It might be something that takes a little more time than that. It might get flagged for a transition issue with the government, but we’ll take a look at the Member’s suggestion and his comments will have a great bearing on the outcome. Thank you.
Thank you very much. It is about getting back to the “bear” necessities. I’m certainly glad that he’s willing to listen to it and if the Minister can speak with his officials, it’s at the formative stage. It’s an idea that its time has come. We have always spoken in this House lately about how much we are growing. I think a little thing like this will bring the Northwest Territories together and generate having a focus point and something we can identify with as we want to be fire smart and protect our resources.
Once again, if they could take that idea and run with it. He also committed to it. I don’t have a fourth question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. More of a comment. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
