Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't help but feel that the first day back in the House is like the first day back to school. But unlike school children, our work as Members doesn't stop for the summer, and warmer days bring more extreme weather events driven by climate change. Even though Northerners are the toughest people in the world, we are still recovering from the collective trauma of the 2023 wildfire crisis. But what isn't recovering is our constituents' trust in this government.
We were forced from our homes, separated from our families, and the emergency management system was laid bare to its faults which independent -- the independent after-action review laid out in its 164-page report, including
GNWT emergency management legislation that is lenient and lacks oversight and accountability;
The NWT emergency management organization structure is not agile enough for large-scale, multiple, concurrent or long duration emergencies;
The roles and responsibilities in the emergency coordination centre were ambiguous resulting in hesitation and indecisiveness among decision-makers; and,
The GNWT's lack of a dedicated territorial emergency management department or agency created challenges.
So why after so much time, and $331,000 of taxpayer expense, is the government rejecting any part of this after-action review let alone a foundational one that the consultants recommended immediate action in 0 to 12 months to implement? It is getting tired to say doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. But how can reasonable Northerners view this decision any other way? The emergency management system is not working the way Northerners want it to, Mr. Speaker. The criticisms from Fort Providence this year, including from a former Minister of this House, should be enough evidence to warrant change.
Mr. Speaker, why has the government put a price on public safety that they say is too great to afford without even looking at how they can make it work from reprioritizing existing resources. This rejection is nothing short than a lack of creativity, a lack of accountability, and a lack of care towards the most important function of any government: Keeping Northerners safe. Mr. Speaker, it couldn't be clearer that Northerners care about public safety, and later today I'll be asking the Premier why so many feel that he doesn't. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre
