Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, sir. Yes, we have. I don't think that's strictly just with indigenous communities. This is a learning curve for the provinces and the federal government to work together on right across this country, although it's a provincial responsibility on the wildfires. It is a patch-quilt sort of approach as to how the funding is dealt with.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, there is, and the fire service in general is changing to meet the climate changes we're experiencing. Again, it's in these smaller communities, to have people in the communities investing in their learning and their preparedness for this. It does happen. The FireSmart strategy is common across this country, and it's just as necessary in an indigenous community as it is in a rural community elsewhere.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, I apologize. I lost my French when I was eight years old, when I left Gatineau.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's an excellent question. In my province here, we see that differential or that gap. We've had 59 fire deaths in this province in 2021. A significant number of those fire deaths, unfortunately, were in indigenous communities. I think it really has to go hand in glove with helping them out with equipment and training, but also with fire education.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't know that answer. I know we do it in some provinces. We do it in this province. I don't believe it reaches the indigenous communities to the extent that it does in smaller communities in this province. It's a gap, sir.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Shields. Yes, I think your comments are spot-on. We would refer back to the collaboration with the indigenous leaders. All these communities are very different. They have very complex issues, and one-size-fits-all is not there. I think you're spot-on with it, but the fine-tuning would be through the leadership of those communities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If I may, I'm going to turn it over to my very brilliant executive director, Tina, to answer that question.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Tina, do you want to speak to this? Go ahead.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Shields. At the risk of not being coherent on this, when we talk to our indigenous leaders, there is a construct that happens in these communities whereby the structure of paying for this is complicated and is such that there is not a lot of oversight. Couple that with the fact that there isn't a structure as we would have in normal communities, in all the areas where we live, where you have inspectors who are inspecting the phases of the construction.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to all of the committee for your precious time. I will speak and then I will ask Ms. Saryeddine to answer questions, as well, if that works. Thank you for inviting the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs here today. For the record, my name is John McKearney.