Mahsi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The NWT continues to be under severe seasonal drought conditions in a large portion of the NWT. ENR continues to implement strategies and objectives identified in the 2011 program review and the 2014 fire season to improve delivery of the programs the coming seasons.

I'd like to ask the Minister if the experts in his department have made predictions on what type of fire season we may encounter this summer and as far as size, number and complexity.

We continue to monitor snowfall for this seasons, but I have previously said to the Member, we continue to see the NWT in the drought conditions, so it's hard to predict what type of fire season we're going to have.

As the Minister said, drought seasons continue, so we may anticipate a big fire season, a fire season of many fires, many complexes. I'd like to ask the Minister if the plan is to use our own people to fight those fires or bring people from other jurisdictions.

Depending on the type of fire season we have, if we have a normal or below-normal fire season, we will continue to use our own resources. Anything beyond that, we may have to pull in other people from other jurisdictions.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, w

ill the Minister commit to consult with Regular Members before a decision to bring firefighters from other jurisdictions?

As the Member knows, the complexity of some of these fires and the nature of them, if we have time we will definitely consult.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to Item 5 on the orders of the day.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I want to recognize a Page that I've known for a long time. I'd like to recognize Nicholas Bennett.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

I'd like to welcome Karen Johnson, a Yellowknife North resident, here to the House. She's very involved with the Yellowknife Ski Club and World Snow Day, and is also the mother of one of our Pages, Niva Stephenson.

Mahsi. Welcome. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the Commissioner's Opening Address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled, “Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 2015-2017 Strategic Plan.” I note also that it's in four languages.

Mahsi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wish to table the following document entitled, “Aurora College Annual Reports, 2014-2015.”

Array

Mahsi. Tabling of Documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 1-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019; Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates, 2016-2017; Tabled Document 3-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2015-2016; Tabled Document 4-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2015-2016, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee wishes to continue review of the Proposed Mandate of the Government of Northwest Territories, 2016-2019.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. We'll take a short recess and resume with the first item.

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. I’d like to recognize a guest in the gallery: Mr. Bob Bromley, former MLA for Weledeh. Committee, we’ve agreed to consider Tabled Document 1-18(2), as amended. Mr. Premier, do you wish to invite witnesses to the table?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.