Robert C. McLeod

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. We will be more than glad to send the Member an invite to hold one end of the ribbon. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right I have Dr. Erin Kelly, who is our assistant deputy minister in ENR. To my left I have Susan Craig, who is our director of corporate services. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, public safety and the safety of the community is our first concern. If the community feels that there is a problem bear or one that is a threat to the community, they are able to take it down. As the Member said, it would have to be done in a safe manner. We would like to have our wildlife officers do it, but if they are not available and there is a threat, then they would be able to take the bear down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is pretty well all the communities in the Northwest Territories do have wildlife officers, but in the cases of where they are not available or there is nobody there, they have an emergency wildlife line that they can call. If that number is not readily available in Tsiigehtchic or posted where a lot of residents can see it, then I will ask the department to ensure that the numbers are posted where residents of Tsiigehtchic are able to see it.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on the advice of the Member, we can commit to go back and have a look at it, and see what it might take to repair. We will have a look at it. Simple answer.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, our expectation is it will be done during this fiscal year. Thank you, completed.

Mr. Speaker, 2017 was an above-average fire season. This year, 249 wildland fires were reported, affecting over one million hectares. That makes this the seventh worst year for area burned by forest fires since Environment and Natural Resources began keeping records in 1975. As a comparison, in 2016 there were 188 fires that burned 229,000 hectares, a below-average year. In 2014, 385 fires and 3.4 million hectares burned. In a regular year, the Northwest Territories experiences about 213 fires, affecting just over 500,000 hectares of land.

This year, in addition to the 136 fire fighters who...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure if you want me to respond to each Member individually, or if you want me to just wait until the end of all of the general comments and then I can respond to them as a whole, but whatever committee wishes to do is fine by me.

I do, Mr. Chair.

I have to do my remarks.