Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to touch on the topics I would like to cover during the review of the Environment and Natural Resources budget. I am interested in seeing what type of forest development with working with some forest industry people can be realized by the department and by the Government of the Northwest Territories.
I am interested in where things go with the conservation economy. There is a lot of talk about developing some sort of conservation economy in order to develop or look at possible legislation that may exist in protecting wetlands. I think that is something that is interesting, something that we, as this department, should be pursuing.
I have mentioned, and I think some other colleagues of mine have mentioned, a national Indigenous guardianship program, which is a very good program, again, for development of a conservation economy. That is something that I would like to discuss with this department.
I think that one of the important items in this department is that I just think there isn't enough money or there isn't enough attention paid to the environmental cleanups. I know that in the riding that I represent we have many, many waste sites, contaminated sites, and I think that is something that this department works on, but I would like to see more emphasis put on that.
I like the traditional economy, support for the traditional economy. I think that is excellent.
The whole issue of wildland fires and how we fight those fires, I had asked questions a few times on whether or not we are going to use our own resources. We have enough of our own resources, I think, to fight the fires within the NWT. It is good for our own economy, and I think that is something that is important, and that, before the department deals with the agreement that they have with other jurisdictions, whether it be other jurisdiction across Canada or even the United States, I think we should utilize our resources as much as possible. Thank you, Mr. Chair.