Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have all seen in the news and are probably aware of the devastating effects forest fires can have in heavily forested parts of the country where there are communities. Mr. Speaker, the constituency I come from is in the middle of the boreal forest on the banks of the Slave River. We are in exactly that predicament.
Mr. Speaker, over the last number of years, we have been trying to pull together a fire abatement program to help thin out the heavy timber and bush that surrounds the community, in fact, that the town is situated in. It has been a difficult process. It has been a difficult project. It is one with tremendous potential. There is almost unlimited supply of firewood in there, lumber that could be harvested if it was done selectively.
Mr. Speaker, just last year on television we saw what happened in the United States when the community of Los Alamos had a backfire that went wrong. The community lost hundreds of houses. I have seen it happen in Alaska and I have heard of it happening in other jurisdictions in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, it always comes down to the issue of money. It would be far better to put money into the front end for prevention, as we talk about in a lot of the social areas, then wait and see what happens when you come to communities like Norman Wells, where you have to evacuate if you are not ready and the community is not prepared for a fire.
Mr. Speaker, the issue is one between the community and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Later today, I will be asking the Minister questions about how we can move this process along, how we can look at a long-term program that will put local people to work clearing and harvesting and putting that wood they are going to thin out to good use in the community.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very pressing issue. Spring is once again around the corner. Fire season will soon be here. It would be to our benefit, to the government's benefit, to be ready and not be responding after the fact. Thank you.
-- Applause