Assembly Vote
20th Assembly, 1st SessionJune 12, 2024
Motion Sponsor
Topic
Motion Text
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS local authorities are currently responsible for the development and implementation of their emergency plans;
AND WHEREAS the local emergency plan is the first line of defense to keep residents of the Northwest Territories safe and informed when responding to natural disasters or other similar emergencies;
AND WHEREAS Municipal and Community Affairs currently provides guidance to local authorities to create emergency plans but there is no requirement for the Minister to fund, draft, or assess these plans;
AND WHEREAS, the current form of community emergency plans throughout municipal and community governments can fairly be described as standalone orphan plans;
AND WHEREAS, without general uniformity of emergency plans, there is little consistency with respect to community emergency plan details, themes and overlapping partnership agreements, which would help ensure the plans coordinate together in cases of regional needs, and consistent and contiguous to the Northwest Territories emergency management plans;
AND WHEREAS there is currently no obligation for public transparency of these community emergency plans;
AND WHEREAS residents in Northwest Territories communities were threatened as they fled for safety in recent flooding and wildfire events and, in some cases, felt a sense of lack of coordination and disconnect between leadership and partners;
AND WHEREAS the Minister has the authority under the Act to direct a review and analyze these plans, however, the Department does not fund these plans directly, which is then left up to municipal and community government to resolve this challenge in the absence of much needed resources, expertise, and funding;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs direct the emergency management organization to draft all emergency plans for every Northwest Territories community over the next two years to ensure all plans are reasonably and consistently done;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs provide financial support to all applicable governments, to allow them to fine-tune and complete their specific community emergency plan reflective of their specific community needs, inventorying of assets and assessment of their partners and supports;
AND FURTHERMORE, once a community plan is prepared, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs posts each community emergency plan on the Municipal and Community Affairs website to ensure they are publicly accessible for transparency;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs acquire the resources for each community to ensure all plans are reviewed and practiced from time to time, based on reasonable industry standards, which will demonstrate leadership and confidence in these safety plans for all Northwest Territories residents;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion in 120 days.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.