Thank you. Mr. Erasmus.
Debates of May 16th, 1996
Topics
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Regarding the predefined high-valued areas, who will be defining those areas and how will they be defined?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Madam Chair, the department and the communities get together to define the areas. We try to define the areas primarily where the people live and where properties are located, as they move into other areas that are of high value to the community as a whole. It might be certain hunting areas, historic areas, at cetera. Then we agree that there is a fixed limit to the amount of money we are willing to spend in it. It is by agreement and we agree from the beginning that we can't fight all the fires and not all the areas are of equal priority. So once we get to those two things, it becomes manageable to be able to come to a mutually agreed to prescribed area. Even in a prescribed area, we think there are some good habits for us to discuss how and when to fight these fires. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Chair, I think the Minister should be commended for his action with his stand on community response to fighting forest fires. In our Infrastructure committee, we discussed the coordination with EMO and MACA about the construction of firebreaks. There seemed to have been some type of overlap with Renewable Resources and MACA building firebreaks. I wonder if the Minister could inform us what is happening with this overlap and seeming duplication of effort.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you. I understand that we have come to an agreement with MACA to cost share the firebreak and fire protection program that is offered to communities. We went through the exercise last year of priorizing different communities. For instance, communities like Fort Good Hope were rated as high priority because they are heavily wooded and there are still a lot of trees right through the community. Other communities such as Deline had a lower rating because the trees aren't as thick and as tall as other communities such as Snare Lake. They don't have the types of trees and vegetation that would cause as much fire problems as other communities, That is how they are rated; they are rated on a one-to-four basis. Last year, all of the communities were given money to construct fireguards. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
May 16th, 1996
Page 442
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Madam Chair. It seems as though MACA is going to continue to build firebreaks and so is Renewable Resources. Two departments are still going to be at the same thing. This was our concern, our committee felt there would be a duplication of services and a seemingly redundancy, an overplaying of the firebreaks. Has nothing changed? Is this going to continue?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
It is our intent this year to work out an agreement with MACA on how to cost share the same program and complete the program throughout the Mackenzie Valley. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Does this mean that Renewable Resources will continue to build firebreaks? Through the communities, they will continue to build firebreaks but these will be paid for by MACA funds and the Renewable Resources funds will be cost shared. I still think that's a duplication. This is the problem we heard about from people in our communities who are familiar with firebreaks, they were saving graveyards for example.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 442
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Madam Chair, the way in which the program works is we cost share. Last year, we set aside approximately $700,000 within Renewable Resources with MACA for the fire protection program for the communities. This budget is made available to communities. Communities are advised of it and those communities who put together proposals and initiatives to access this money send it to us and then we approve it and then they bill us and we pay thebill. For instance, if a community says they want to spend $100,000 to build a fireguard, they will use 20 men for X number of days and however else they are going to utilize the money, we agree to it and it's paid. There is, in fact, no duplication of services. It protects the communities. Municipal and Community Affairs' mandate is protected. We also build beyond and outside of municipal boundaries. There is no need to build two lines when you can build one. That is the reason for the joint effort. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Forest fire management. Mr. Steen.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister indicate which communities in the Inuvik region are eligible for $20,000?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Kakfwi.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, I'd like to think we can say that all communities which have historically had forest fires in the local vicinity are eligible. It would probably mean that almost all of the communities within the treeline would be eligible.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, I don't know the specifics of what would qualify as a high priority area. A fair amount of the trapping done in the Tuktoyaktuk area is done in the bush country. The Tuktoyaktuk hunters and trappers have high priority areas with cabins and traplines, which would be of concern and they would be receptive to some form of protection for their investments. I'm sure they would like to be considered for these contributions. Furthermore, in the past years on more than one occasion, we've had tundra and driftwood fires very close to the community of Tuktoyaktuk. This doesn't put any people or property in danger but it does have the ability to shut the airport down due to smoke. This is a concern to the community. I'm sure they'd like to have the ability to attack the tundra fires at an early stage. They burn for quite a distance. I believe the last one burned for a range of four miles. These fires cause problems. In a hot, dry summer, they are very easily started. I'm sure the community would like to be considered for this type of contribution if possible.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, I believe what we should do is perhaps have our staff from the Inuvik region meet with people from within the Member's constituency to discuss this to see if there's any way to come up with suggestions on how to remedy this. Would this be something the Member is interested in at this time?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 443
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.