MLAs press CGS minister on search and rescue policy
Amittuq and Aivilik MLAs want search and rescue aircraft based in central Nunavut
Nunavut’s MLAs questioned Community and Government Services Minister David Joanasie Friday morning about Nunavut’s search and rescue policy, which is set to expire April 1. (Photo by David Venn)
Two MLAs pressed Nunavut’s community and government services minister Friday in the legislative assembly for information about the future of the territory’s search and rescue program.
Aivilik MLA Solomon Malliki and Amittuq MLA Joelie Kaernerk told CGS minister David Joanasie they want to see a search and rescue aircraft hub headquartered somewhere in central Nunavut.
“[This] could help to improve response time,” Malliki said.
Malliki’s riding encompasses Naujaat and Coral Harbour, and Kaernerk’s riding includes Sanirajak and Igloolik.
The Government of Nunavut has a search and rescue policy that lays out responsibilities, authority, and funding for search and rescue operations across the territory.
Each community has a local volunteer search and rescue team, and they are funded by Nunavut Emergency Management. The territory also receives air support from the Canadian Armed Forces, but those aircraft are stationed in southern Canada.
The policy expires April 1.
Regarding the question about operating search-and-rescue aircraft out of Nunavut, Joanasie said he has not met with federal ministers on the subject yet, but he has a meeting scheduled for March 17.
Kaernerk said he wants Joanasie to tell the federal government that there are other communities in Nunavut besides Cambridge Bay, Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet that have the capacity to have an air team for search and rescue.
For example, the federal government rebuilt an air facility in Sanirajak, he said, that has the capacity to provide helicopter services year round.
“I would strongly encourage the minister to make other communities have a say so that they can benefit,” Kaernerk said, adding that Sanirajak is located in the centre of the territory.
Joanasie said he will consider Kaernerk’s request and that he would “be putting forward Nunavut’s concerns around how services are provided.”
Kaernerk said that just last week a snowmobile fell through ice in his riding, but the person was safe because they had someone else there with them.
“These affect us in our lives. We like country food and we often want country food,” Kaernerk said. “Emergency preparedness is very important in Nunavut.”
Kaernerk said smaller communities could benefit from this type of infrastructure because it would keep people safe and provide jobs to Inuit.
They need to train these SAR members better. Just last year SAR couldn’t find a man and his kids who was less than 5 miles out of town and they ended up having to fly a Hercules jet up from Winnipeg to locate them. Thankfully they were fine, but the additional cost of flying up a massive military jet should not go unnoticed.
Don’t forget our local S&R use their personal equipment when they head out and most times the weather is not good, I would give our local S&R credit for doing a great job, with limited resources they excel in what they do with what they have.
Mr Kaernerk, for many years now, Sanirayak has a helicopter all year round…
“Kaernerk said he wants Joanasie to tell the federal government that there are other communities in Nunavut besides Cambridge Bay, Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet that have the capacity to have an air team for search and rescue.” add in Sanirayak
Clearly there is a lack of understanding on what having an airplane and related crews stationed in wait would actually cost.
Build houses first please.
Damn right housing first , NTI & GN have no good planes for Inuit rather house artifacts then humans raher have weed beer store ? never mind treatment center thought we r taken care of. Let’s not see GN & NTI fail Inuit anymore ? .
All that I can think of is the infrastructure, maintenance, and upkeep costs. How much does it cost to build the necessary hard stand and shelters? How much for the shacks for the air and ground crews? How much for the fuel storage and the maintenance shacks?
More importantly – will anyone accept a posting there?
I agree with the author of this article, David Venn:
“Malliki’s riding encompasses Naujaat and Coral Harbour, and Kaernerk’s riding includes Sanirajak and Igloolik.”
Would having an aircraft based in Nunavut cut down on search times versus having a Hercules come out of a southern location? Yes.
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Is it cost effective?
No.
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First you need to be able to operate 24x7x365. You will need a minimum of 2 pilots and 1 engineer to service the aircraft. That equates to a minimum of 5 sets of crew, 15 people total, without counting other support staff. Then you have housing to be supplied.
An aircraft hangar. Spare parts.Fuel and storage. Training costs. And we haven’t even looked at the acquisition cost of the aircraft.
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You’re easily into the $3 – $5 million a year range, if not more.
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How many SPOT devices could you buy for $5 million a year? Enough for everyone who wants one, with money left over to contract with Canadian North or Calm Air to use their aircraft in an emergency.
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Build houses, provide addiction treatment services, pay nurses enough to stay. There’s better use of limited resources than trying to setup a northern S&R base.
not only do you require a minimum of Two Crew for the Aircraft, but qualified SAR Members for the Aircraft as well.
Yes, there is an Aircraft in Cambridge Bay, but it’s a DEW Line Helicopter which donates time when it’s available. They have their own Crew and Hanger in Cambridge, it’s not a GN Facility.
with a Hanger, Fuel, Maintenance Staff, Crew, People who would relocate to Nunavut. it’s a 15 million dollar investment just to start the facility and that does not include housing for them.
great PR for your constituency, but not a lot more. but at least you can tell them you asked right.
Govt. Can only go much, communities can really support each by creating and building their SAR. Fund raising, small little things helps a lot. Keep up the good work.
“they are funded by Nunavut Emergency Management”
Not one dime flows to local SAR teams from NEM, other than when SAR has a tasking number which only cover soft cost like gas, oil, and grub.
The Hamlets and local SAR units are left to find funding on their own for things like infrastructure to provide a professional responses to people in need.
GN should be ashamed for the “support” they offer SAR units. A restructure of NEM is in order, including what they actually do for all communities.
There is already an FOL and PAB in Iqaluit that are not being use and are heated.
DND or SAR could use those.
We really need SAR in Iqaluit ready to go on moment notice. Not from Trenton or NS.
It would save live and time.
Those facilities are ready to go.
Our MP should get involve and request to DND.
If SAR needs funding, start charging people when they need SAR services. In most places you’re billed thousands if you need SAR. Hamlets all have SPOT devices on loan but nobody ever takes them. If you think you’re too good for SPOT you can pay your own damn SAR bill.
A cost effective way to help Search and Rescue in Nunavut would be to extend cell phone service 100 miles around every Nunavut Community. Communication and location problems solved. This would also save scarce resources, both human and financial.
Emergency Management within CGS needs a whole new wipe of staff.
CGS Iqaluit is all about hiring who you are related to and friends with. So much nepotism!!