Madam Chair, there’s nine of these detectors strategically located throughout the Boreal Forest that give us a network and grid for when lightning strikes to map the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes over the course of the year. The majority of them are located in the southern part of the territory and then there are some up the valley.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Do you have anything further, Mr. Hawkins? Are there any other questions? We are on activity summary, forest management, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $1.510 million. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome to the Minister here on the topic of forest

management. I was wondering if we could get a bit of a description of what exactly is, according to the project listing, remote camera observation system. Can I get an idea of exactly what this is?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Those are pieces of equipment that give us 24/7 capacity to survey the landscape tied into the various towers we have. They feed information into the system so that we can track what’s happening without necessarily having a person in the area.

Is this a replacement of product that we have in terms of system or is this a brand new technology to the Territories?

We’re taking advantage of an emerging technology that gives us this capacity, tied into some of the more conventional existing technology. It just enhances our capacity, mechanically or technologically, without necessarily having people on the ground.

Are these camera systems tied into what was referred to earlier as the nine observation towers or lightning towers that are unmanned?

They form part of the fire system that we have for detecting and responding to fires. The lightning system feeds into the Fire Centre in Fort Smith and tracks by computer, the lightning strikes that occur with the technology that’s installed in these lightning detectors. The cameras and the fixed observation sites are where we are surveying the landscape, and looking for signs of smoke and other signs that would lead us to believe that there may be fire activity.

I would assume that the predominant use of this remote camera observation program is for spring/summer/early fall. Does this camera system have any use during winter months? Is there a purpose that this equipment would have a potential opportunity for observation?

I must confess, I’m not sure if it’s put to use in the winter months. I know it’s installed predominantly and specifically for taking advantage of giving us an added tool during fire season.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Seeing no one on my list, we are on activity summary, forest management, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $1.51 million.

We will turn to pages 11-11 and 11-12, activity summary,

environment, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $65,000.

Is committee agreed we are concluded the department… Oh, do we have one more? Oh, yes. We need to return to page 11-2, department summary, infrastructure investment summary, total infrastructure investment summary, $1.861 million.

Does committee agree that we have concluded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources?

Thank you, committee. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 64-17(3), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2013-2014, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 64-17(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is being circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.