Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I like the opening remarks by the Minister. He certainly covered a lot of ground and my colleagues covered a lot of ground as well. I just wanted to let him know a bunch of concerns from my riding that we have been working with his department on.
I think this summer we had a concern from the smaller communities of the fire protection zone. Maybe, my suggestion is, if the department can do better to explain the guidelines and policies with respect to proximity fires and observation zones, because they obviously give me a call and say why isn’t the department fighting this or that and I really have no explanation other than, well, I will call the Minister. But I think a better strategy is to inform the communities before the fire season. Let them know the departmental plans and strategies around proximity fires. Because it is rather scary because some of those fires can get pretty huge and if they see us not fighting them, then the whole community gets worried. To pre-empt that, a better community communication plan would certainly help in many, many cases. I have many communities in my riding that sure could use those explanations.
I was asked about creating fire buffer zones. I don’t know if that is a program of ENR or is that another department that has a look at it. That is creating firebreaks around the communities, Mr. Chairman. It is a beneficial thing, because it does create some work, as well, for the community. To create this strip it brings a greater comfort level to the communities that are being proactive, if there is a forest fire nearby, and that is something I would certainly support and I would convey to the department or maybe convey to the appropriate Minister that that is something that we should be looking at once again, if it is not already there. Maybe we should communicate the program to the communities.
Another issue that the Minister knows I have been following up on is the Bison Management Strategy, and I was pleased to see that during Christmas that the ministry has created a Bison Management Strategy. I advise that you have to get to the communities that have been raising that with me. That is the communities of Fort Liard, and, for the most part, Nahanni Butte, who had the very same bison management issues, where buffalo are roaming around the community, destroying gardens and very expensive transplanted trees that people want to improve their yard and home with.
As well, another issue that they face with buffalo, especially in Fort Liard, is that because the highways are salted, the buffalo go near vehicles, lick them or damage them, rub against them. People are really curious, constituents are really curious as to why don’t we look at a compensation program of some nature, even a small gesture or something. I would like the department to consider that. I think that we do it in other areas, right? A fire burns down a trapper’s cabin, that is like an act of nature. Buffalo are like an act of nature. But the other key thing is that people want to be compensated, because buffalo are not indigenous to Fort Liard or Nahanni Butte. I didn’t realize, I thought it was the ‘50s or ‘60s, but it was only in the ‘70s that the buffalo were brought there, and the herds are getting rather large now and they are causing great concern. So the Bison Management Strategy, my first initial reaction was I am glad I got it, but they really have to sit down with the community in well-advertised meetings and get as many people out as they can. I know that I have been pushing this for some time and for whatever reason, Mr. Chairman, the members of the department would go to the communities and one or two people would show up. It doesn’t mean that they are not interested. I think it is maybe because it was not advertised. People are very, very interested. At all my constituency meetings that I have in Fort Liard, and all the Ministers they bring to Fort Liard, they continuously raise it. When department officials go there and nobody shows up,
it doesn’t mean that the issue is not real and I would urge them to sit down with the community with an open mind, not just to say that this is the Bison Management Strategy and that is it, because there are some concerns that they want to add up to and including, I know, there was an incident were a local fellow discharged or shot a buffalo in the community. We don’t want to get to that stage again. What we want to do is a strategy, like, if a buffalo is in your yard or damaging your vehicle, what is the strategy to address that incident other than phoning up our wildlife officer who may be out on patrol or something. So those are the questions that people want action on. In fact, last week in the House, too, I asked about some of the other initiatives like electrified fencing and some of those things being worked on in other areas. Those are real strategies that people want to see some action on.
A recent concern, too, is we need a better public campaign as well about the cadmium levels in the South Mackenzie Mountain moose. It affects people I represent. They’re concerned. What does this mean? I believe that a public awareness campaign has to be done better. I know there were a couple of articles in the paper that addresses these concerns, but I believe the department has to be proactive and get out there to the communities and to the band councils and Metis councils and explain to them and the people exactly what it means. The internal organs of our larger animals are actually delicacies to our elders and people who use the land. Far before we get to the ribs, we’re snacking on the innards and kidneys and...(inaudible)...et cetera. They’re a delicacy. But I think the key thing is, my message is to get out there and advise the people, do a public campaign. Nobody likes to find out at the last minute on any matter.
My colleague, the Member for Frame Lake, raised in the House about the bottled water policy. I have to stand opposed to it. I don’t know what she’s after. I don’t know if she wants to add an additional levy to it. I just want to say that some of my communities, because they have potable water issues with the water reservoirs, which I have yet to speak about, depend heavily on buying bottled water for their drinking water from the stores. Every time they go to Fort Simpson and/or Hay River they’re buying huge quantities, and at great expense. So if the concern is to add more expense at this point until the water issue is resolved, I would have to indicate my concern about how far you’re going with this policy. I’d like to be involved with it. Please put me on your distribution list, because I want to see what exactly it means to the people that I represent. Like I said, this bottled water policy, I don’t know what you’re doing with it, but it’s something that I’m going to have to say I cannot support at this time, because I don’t know
what it means and my people use bottled water all the time in my small communities. I’ve got five small communities that depend on bottled water only because their drinking water may be safe, because we tell them it’s safe, but they’re not drinking it and there’s a reason for it. They’d prefer crystal clear water, something they can see through if they’re going to drink it.
I just wanted to reiterate those concerns. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the opening remarks.