Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Environment and Climate Change is the GNWT lead for climate change using a coordinated interdepartmental approach that is outlined in the 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework. Under the framework, the Department of Infrastructure implements an energy strategy which is how the GNWT addresses reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to energy supply and consumption. The Department of Finance implements the NWT carbon tax approach. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seems as some people on the other side thinks being on this side's easy. I'd love to be on that other side to ask those questions and get them you know, and say, when are you going to get it resolved and how are you going to do it. And I know Members over there say well, we got to fix it. We have a process. We have investigations going on. So, Mr. Speaker, a terms of reference has been developed, and we have identified an independent party to review the or to conduct a review. And the review will be conducted once the investigation has been completed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these incidents are still being investigated for suspected illegal harvesting in a mobile zone and wastage of edible caribou. I can tell you that I met with the chief last fall and have written to him to offer to work on reconciliation efforts once an investigation is completed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about this summer's devastating wildfire season that affected a majority of Northwest Territories residents. Territorial emergencies began in May and ended in September and saw a total of 12 communities impacted and roughly 70 percent of all NWT residents evacuated from their communities.

I understand how stressful these emergency events must have been for residents. I was an evacuee myself in the spring of 2021 and understand the challenges and the anxiety that these situations bring. There are also challenging days ahead as many of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not going to speculate on what conditions or where that I would take some time to think about it. So right now, I will not be able to answer that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thursday wasn't perfect. I had conversations with the military. The military people that were there helping us were pretty calm about it. They said, for the first day, it's actually going pretty smoothly. Yes, was there a long lineup? Yes. Were flights not ready to go? Yes. But I can tell you the next day we had people out and when people were registering, we were getting them on flights. We had the military that brought in four extra crews to help us get those flights out. So we did have that. We were still within the timeframe that we had. I understand where the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECC has internal funding available each year to help communities implement their community wildfire protection plan, which can include building of fuel breaks. I can advise this House that we work with NWTAC who successfully applied for $20 million of disaster mitigation and adaptation funding from the federal government. That money will be as I said yesterday, will be brought forth to NWTAC and they're going to give it allocate it to the communities, those 29 communities.

Mr. Speaker, NWTAC realizes that work needs to be done now. So they've reach out and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department regularly provides advice on ways to help protect communities from the risk of wildfires. The department has worked with all 29 forested communities in the NWT to update their community wildfire protection plan, which are designed to help reduce risks for wildfire. One of those tools available to the community is the use of fire break or fuel breaks and are included in the community wildlife protection plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'll answer the first question. If the Member wants to come sit over here and deal with these disasters, I'm more than willing to sit over there and ask the questions. But saying that, Mr. Speaker, we have been working with Paradise Gardens residents for over a year on their options under DAP and provide and prior to the fire wildfire event, I had written to them to clarify what is available to them under DAP. We are aware that people are in process of making their own personal decisions about their next steps, including whether or not they want to rebuild in Paradise Gardens. MACA staff are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs is using this section of the DFAA as part of its approach to the 2022 flood recovery and supports to those impacted. As part of its claim to eventually be submitted for reimbursement from Canada under its Disaster Assistance Program, the GNWT intends to seek reimbursement for mitigation costs used towards relocation as an innovative recovery solution under the DFAA section 3.4.1 to assist individuals with relocations where mitigation on their existing properties is not feasible. Like many others, department staff were...