This is page numbers 5979 - 6032 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was community.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have identified $300,000 that we would use to work with the communities to enhance their training and work with the communities to identify the type of equipment they would need, and the community would have the responsibility of purchasing equipment. We have identified $300,000 that we would use to ensure that all
community firefighters are trained and do assessments on each firefighting department. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
I would like to ask the Minister exactly, can we see any additional resources in regards to equipment and equipment replacement for firefighters in our communities to ensure that they not only have the training but also have the equipment to carry out their jobs. Are there any funds available in regards to fire suppressant and making sure that they are equipped to respond to fires? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
As a department we don’t have any extra monies that we would be able to put towards this. Some of the communities have identified firefighting equipment in their capital plan and their operations and maintenance. So as far as the department goes, we use the money that we have, that we are hoping gets approved here, to enhance our training and our assessments of each particular communities’ firefighting department. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Looking at the budget, there is an increase of about $100,000 in regards to emergency management. Could you elaborate on that?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Gareau
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, there is an increase in the area of emergency management and $113,000 of that is part of the $300,000 that the Minister has mentioned and the remainder is due to Collective Agreement increases. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Just another major increase. I noticed that there is some $400,000 increase in the other expenses. Could you break down the other expenses and the $400,000? What is that for?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Gareau
Mr. Chairman, yes, the full $300,000 devoted to emergency management that the Minister has mentioned is in other expenses. The remainder, there is about $90,000 attributable to another forced growth area, which is support, contract support to the Assessment Appeals Tribunal and the board of revision. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, again, I noticed that under contract services, a lot of these dollars seem to be expended outwards and not really to deal with the public safety side in regards to fire retention and making sure we... I would just like to know under contracting services, what is that $355,000 for.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Ms. Gareau, am I pronouncing your name correctly? Okay, Ms. Gareau.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Gareau
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the MLA is correct; there is an increase in contract services and, again, it is attributable to the increased funding the department has received for the emergency management area. We anticipate that due to some of the specialized training and supports that community governments may require, we will have to work with external contractors to provide that service. Since we don’t have that, we may not have that expertise on staff. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, could they elaborate on exactly what type of special services they are going to provide by way of those funds?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Mr. Chairman, we are not quite sure exactly what we are going to need yet until we do the assessments to determine the types of specialized trades or the types of specialized training we will have to offer. If we are able to provide that with the folks that we have on staff, we will do that. If we are unable to, then we will have to go to an external contractor. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, again, it would be good to get that information, and more importantly, illustrating exactly how those expenditures are going to be spent what we can do to enhance and support our volunteer firefighters in our communities. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Mr. Chairman, it is going to be on a community-by-community basis. Once the assessments are done, we will be in a better position to determine the specialized training that we will need and when we are able to do that, identify that, then I will let the Member know how it affects the communities he represents. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, I think it is important to realize that, from these fire responses we had, especially in my riding, again, there have been some challenges that we have run into. I think it is important that we ensure that we focus on those areas that are having the most challenges, but more importantly, making sure that we are working with them to ensure that they are not only doing their job safely but also saving lives and avoiding putting themselves in harm’s way. I would just like to ask that you consider those communities that have shown that they are having some challenges. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Mr. Chairman, we think it’s very important too. That is why we have come forward with a request for fire emergency training, and a lot of it we would obviously target a lot of those communities that have some challenges and need some training. We would obviously have to
target those communities first to make sure that they are in a better position to respond to any emergency that is in their community. I can assure the Member that we will take his advice and we will target a lot of the communities where it is found that they are in most need. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
February 20th, 2011
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Krutko, do you have any more questions? Alright. Next on my list is Mr. Bromley.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Actually, Mr. Krutko asked most of the questions I was going to ask. I was particularly concerned about the 315 additional contract services, especially given that we do have staff that are supposedly specialized in this area. I think one of the things we are finding quite strongly on this side of the House is that we are continually contracting out more and more of our work when we hire top of the line professionals and put them to managing instead of delivering. I think that is a frustration certainly to many people in the Northwest Territories, possibly even to our employees.
I did hear the Minister say contracting, if our staff can’t do the work. I guess I would encourage the Minister to follow up with that and do make best use of the staff and expertise we have. We obviously have several staff in this area. I believe we maybe decreased this position and I disagree with not having the right people on staff and ending up contracting out at a greater cost later. That is mostly by way of a comment, Mr. Chairman. I welcome any response from the Minister, though. Mahsi.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Aumond
Mr. Chairman, as the Minister stated, depending on what we find in each of the community assessments, if our six staff in the division that we have which includes the regional AFMs can handle it, then we will contract out. Some of the training, though, will be quite specialized and, as the Member knows, we do have staff in the regions. They are assistant fire marshals. But on the emergency management side, we are running desktop exercises and so on and some specialized training. We will likely have to bring in some help from outside to deal with stuff on a one-time basis because we don’t have the staff on hand. In addition, the fire marshal’s office and the assistant fire marshals do have their legislated mandated duties that they have to do and that the training requirement, although part of their job, depending on their caseload at the time, we may have to bring in that outside help as required. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
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