Wally Schumann

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell the House about a man who has played an important role in the lives of many in the Northwest Territories.

My uncle, Jim Schaefer, was born April 7, 1937 and spent much of his early years on the trap line. He spent the early years of his adult life working for Northern Transportation Company Limited and Northwest Territories Power Corporation, travelling to many communities up and down the valley and east to Gjoa Haven, building generator stations and putting up power lines.

Jim met his wife in Fort Resolution and...

Tsiigehtchic trapping is a partnership with MACA and Health and Social Services.

As per the collective agreement, 37.5 is considered a part-time full-time position.

We'll have to get back to the Member on that particular question.

Thank you for that question. We only were in deficit for that one year, but with the implementation of our new programs, that's the expected growth of this program.

Thank you. To my left is Ms. Susan Craig, director of finance. On my immediate right is Ernie Campbell, deputy minister. On the far right is Dr. Erin Kelly, assistant deputy minister.

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.

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. I too would like to recognize Betty and Rocky Simpson from Hay River South. Welcome.

Yes. There is $100,000 from each department plus ENR is $125,000 so $325,000 total