Kevin A. Menicoche

Exactly what type of work will be done in Trout Lake this summer and fall?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to commend our high school graduates in Nahendeh. It’s that happy time of year when the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer and proud parents and families are celebrating with their offspring one of the most important milestones in the life of a child or young adult: high school graduation day.

I want to congratulate each and every graduate in the Northwest Territories for the achievement they are celebrating this year, and I also commend the parents, families, teachers and communities for the support that has helped their...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just getting back to the health effects of smoke from forest fires, does the department work, say, with the Department of Health with an information campaign so the residents can best be prepared for the fire season? Thank you.

Thank you very much. I note that on the NWT fire website that we’ve had four fires to date and there’s two current. One is being monitored, but constituents have been asking. The fires that are being monitored late last year that caused excessive smoke in the communities causing some health effects to the elders, to young people, people with health conditions.

Can the department consider being more proactive in putting out these monitoring fires early? Particularly when there’s so few of them, I’m sure we can use some extra resources and put them out before more heat comes and more winds that...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My communities and constituents are talking about how dry the forests are this spring. We see and have heard that this year’s fire season is predicted to be a very, very bad year.

Firstly, I want to commend our brave men and women who have been hired this year, and with all the fire crews throughout the North they will keep our people and property safe. If I may, Mr. Speaker, on our behalf, I salute them in advance for their efforts for this coming fire season.

A constituent has been wondering if the fires had been more aggressively fought last year at the...

Earlier in my spring tour as I toured the smaller communities in my riding, the leadership was asking about updating their firebreaks and getting that cleaned up. I’m wondering if the department has been to the communities and are working the communities to update and even clean out their firebreaks so that they’re out of danger. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of ENR some questions with regard to my Member’s statement. Forest fires are common occurrences in the Northwest Territories from May to September and can cause extensive damage, put lives in danger and cause health effects.

I’d like to know what the Department of ENR’s assessment and plan is for this coming fire season in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I guess what I’m asking is if Public Works and Services would review how we can deliver fuel, how we can drive down the cost of living. In fact, I think nationally one of the big moves is to lobby the federal government to drop the GST for gasoline and heating fuels in remote communities.

Is that something that the Minister is willing to look at as well? Thank you.

I know it can be argued that the transportation cost to the remote communities is additional tax to these communities.

Has the department looked at not applying a transport tax so that we can lower the fuel prices into our small and remote communities? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is only getting more expensive to live and work in our remote communities in the Northwest Territories. Fuel prices are the main driver of the cost of living. Many of our remote communities, like Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte, are supplied with fuel through the petroleum products division of the Department of Public Works. They have once again increased the fuel prices.

Elders in my riding tell me they are very concerned about the most recent increase in the fuel prices. Most elders are on a fixed income, and fuel prices have a direct impact on the quality of...