Yes, absolutely. This is a core component of making sure mitigation plans are developed by communities. We support that process.
I was referring to the program. We have one part of this program. Northern Affairs has another. It's the same type of program, but we fund it differently because of the differences between south of 60 and the north. Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs funds northern indigenous communities to have plans and discussions with respect to climate change and health adaptation, and to bring in traditional knowledge. It's absolutely an essential component of preventing future disasters, as well as improving the response.
We spoke about some of the innovation that happened in communities that wanted to go on the land when they were evacuated, instead of to a municipality. I remember when the former regional chief in NWT called me at the beginning of the pandemic and said, “Val, we would like to go on the land.” He was part of a call. Our regional office was able to work with the territorial government in order to ensure there would be funding available for them to isolate on the land instead of in their homes for months at a time. It was definitely, from what I've heard, a much better and more rewarding experience than it was in other communities that didn't have the same opportunity.
In the context of the full continuum of emergency management, we absolutely have to ensure these are culturally based—that traditional approaches are considered.