Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to elaborate a little further from my colleague from Yellowknife North and my colleague from Mackenzie Delta. My first concern I would have to say is the reduction of the environmental protection officer in the Deh Cho. This has an impact with our mandate in the development of our work within our smaller communities. This position, from what I understand in talking from the community's standpoint, is important for them to continue to grow, and this is one of the areas that I will have to steadfast ask questions about why it's being reduced.

The second comment...

I thank the Minister for that answer. That is pretty exciting news, to see that that money is there. Can the Minister tell us how many schools already have at least one PST teacher in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess I'm just looking at springtime when the fire crews are ready to go and there are no fires, it is a perfect opportunity to utilize that staff in the communities and surrounding areas to maybe potentially fire smart their communities to start with. So that's where I'm looking is existing staff that are not fighting fires presently, and I believe each community does have a fire suppressant crew that could potentially be put to work in the short term to start helping them.

I appreciate the department working with the communities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will be asking questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, as we have seen in the main estimates, ECE has planned to cut $1.8 million from inclusive schooling. ECE has since confirmed to leaving $1.3 million alone and dedicated the rest to a specialized training group for PST teachers. Since this isn't reflected in the mains, where is the department going to find this money, whether it is internally, through a supplemental or presented to this House or both? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I'm looking at Fort McMurray, I was down there; I saw what happened, how quickly it can change. It's very scary, and how fires do amazing things. I saw trailers not touched where houses were burnt on both sides and back and front.

So can the department or the Minister provide us some assurances that the department will work with the communities to find some money to help put these firebreaks in place so that we can make these safer communities? We're living in an environment where a lot of our communities do not have the equipment necessary. Even in Fort McMurray...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister tell us how this department and Municipal and Community Affairs work together to work with firebreaks around communities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank Dr. Kelly for her answer. I’m just struggling with this whole process that there seems to be redundancies they say in the Deh Cho but in some of the other regions, there’s more positions in there. I’m looking at one region where there are four positions combining these two or we’ll have one. I’m struggling with how this works because you talked about water resources is that area. I’m looking at that page and this page here. There seems to be a large number in certain areas. That is a big concern for me.

It also really pushes my concern that it seems to be the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. I'm a little concerned, though, how the reduction of this position seems to be able to be filled by another position within the department. Does the reduction of this position meet the mandate as set out by this government? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. So can the Minister please advise us why the Deh Cho position was cut over the other regions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would just like to ask the Minister just to clarify the four positions. The four positions, one is being retired, correct, and the three positions are not filled, so those three positions, is that money gone, or is that money just staying within the department? I am just trying to get a clear picture on this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.