Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I made this motion because I strongly believe this is a mistake — not in the sense of a wrongdoing, but as an oversight — in the sense of the choice of the position that was picked.

I think this is a position that provides a lot of value throughout our territory. It provides emergency management assistance throughout and to every community here. You don’t have to look any further than the flood in Hay River the last time it was used.

I think in a position like this it’s easy to say we could find someone else to do it. But what really happens here is that you develop an expertise and a skill level that is ready to respond immediately when we have a situation. One could say that we could find binders and books and get other people to manage it if that situation arises.

The fact is that when an emergency happens, you want someone well-versed in the skills and abilities to be able to manage this and control the situation. And the fact is that you need experience and insight to do this. If we start eliminating these, the theory may be.... Why do we even question first aid training, for goodness sake? Someone may say: Well, we have a manual in the office, and if somebody fell down and needed first aid, we’ll just go open the manual and we’ll work our way through it. In the reality of emergencies, you need primary responses and professional responses, and that’s why we train people in these types of areas, to make sure they’re ready.

A year or two years ago Aklavik had its flooding, and we needed those professionals at that moment when that action happened. We just cannot predict these things. I wish we could schedule disasters, but we can’t. That’s why we always have to make sure we have staff, that we have the ability to do that type of work.

Mr. Chairman, I don’t think this is a small move. I think this potential deletion has a larger effect on how we look at our preparedness throughout the Territories; how we work with our other search and rescue volunteer associations throughout Canada and the Northwest Territories; how we stimulate that work; how we work at the local level.

We have to make sure our territorial response team is ready, and I think this is a big thing. We look at our joint emergency preparedness, and we lose all of these talents and skills. Like I say, it’s easy to just turn around and say: Well, somebody else

should pick up these duties. But there’s a reason we have experts, and this is an area I would define as expert. Somebody just can’t walk in and take this role and assume these duties.

That’s why I’m concerned about this move. As I gave notice to the Minister yesterday, I hope he had the night to think about it. Certainly I would hope he would take the time and take this initiative back to FMB and plead the case and hear that there are Members like myself who feel this could put our communities-at-large at risk.

The other area that I’ll just touch on briefly — because I know there may or may not be other Members who want to speak.... The fact is, this plays a key role in making sure our airports are safe through emergency planning. This job is responsible — in my view and as I’ve understood it — to every community airport throughout the Northwest Territories. I mean, there’s a relationship built. This position isn’t just at headquarters; it’s doing the work throughout the territory. It may be located here, but all of its work is in the 32 other communities, bringing them together to make sure they are prepared, skilled and ready.

I’d certainly like to request a recorded vote now on this issue, while I’m speaking. I will now allow other Members to speak if they so choose.