Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister Thompson, this is for the ECC department.

Minister Thompson, has the department, ECC, ever considered the impact the existing fire management policy is going to have on our Indigenous language, culture, and way of life? Did the ECC I mean, I'm just saying, what I'm trying to say here is that has the department considered the impact the existing fire management policy is having on Indigenous language, culture, and way of life?

Thank you. Yeah, with the climate change here now

Mr. Speaker, the reason why I ask is that anyone who lived and spends time in small communities, they would understand what we're talking about because Indigenous people, they have close connection to the land. You know, we it provides and sustain us. And even you, you understand that. Now we use the land for healing. That is the reason why I ask that question, is because we have close connection to the land.

But anyways, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT says it will take seven years for burned land to naturally replenish itself. Does that mean it will take seven years for any lost wildlife to also...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we all know this has been the worst forest fire season in the NWT history. This is the first time in history that twothirds of NWT residents were forced to leave their homes. These tragic events displaced nearly 30,000 people for weeks and resulted in the loss of millions of hectares of land burned. In Tlicho region, four houses and 15 traditional cabins burned, as well devastating loss of traditional food from both vegetation and wildlife. The damage done to our lands will take decades to repair.

Mr. Speaker, this fire season has seen two Tlicho communities...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we have to think about 30 years ago, you know, like, prior to prior to 1994, there wasn't too many jobs. Maybe there was a lot of jobs in Delta but in Tlicho region, we didn't have a lot of jobs until the mining company came. That's where right now we have a lot of our people that are employed, or since the mine opened, we have a lot of our people are working there. They have employed. And currently, there's a lot of young people working, and I know there's a lot of people that retire, and it really did help a lot of our members. Not just from my community, from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues and Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the Member for Great Slave, that Bill 98, An Act to Amend the Emergency Management Act be read for the second time. Thank you.

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 6.1(1) so that Bill 98, An Act to Amend the Emergency Management Act, may be read for the first time today.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, during the evacuation of Yellowknife and areas, Indigenous people, many with language barriers and unique needs, were uprooted to cities in the south in which no one knew their language or knew how best to help them with their unique needs. As everyone here can imagine, in addition to fearing the wildfire, this extra burden on Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories of being dropped into unfamiliar territories in the south without the needed support has disproportionately added stress to their lives and has led to...

In favour.