Thank you.
I am very pleased that you raised that question, which unfortunately is very much in the news, given the flooding we are seeing in Quebec and Ontario. They cause major costs in economic terms, but also in human terms that must be considered. Often these natural disasters threaten the safety and resilience of people as well as the protection of their possessions. This is important. We have to be very responsible in the way we deal with these disasters.
We are increasingly realizing that we have to build communities that are much more resilient in the face of disasters such as floods or forest fires. In the last budget, the Department of Natural Resources received $88 million over five years so that we can work with the provinces and territories on measures to increase the resilience of communities. A major part of that funding will go to forest fire prevention.
I am pleased that I have been asked a number of questions on the forests today. In the last year, all provinces and territories have focused on ways to fight forest fires and to ensure that communities are better prepared to face those disasters. A Canada-wide plan on forest fires has just been developed. All provinces and territories support it, but there are also initiatives that have to be considered.
Some people may not be able to hear me. Do you want me to stop, Mr. Chair?