David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So they will be able to issue tickets. Will those regulations be changed in time for this season, or is it something we’re going to have to wait for until next year? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I’m obviously in support of the amendment to the Territorial Parks Act, but I just wanted to ask of the Minister, this has been an issue in the former Department of RWED and now ITI for the past almost 15 years. I’m just wondering why it has taken so long to get this amendment brought forward. What explanation on the delays has his department got? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak about the motion here today. I really do want to start out by commending the Member for Nahendeh for bringing this forward. For all the reasons he cited, I think this is a step in the right direction. Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting the motion today, but I just wanted to be realistic about a couple of things. That is, we can’t forget for one second that the Northwest Territories and our government operates basically on a fixed budget and I think this is another example of why it’s incumbent upon this government to finally reach a deal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge there has never been, even in the Northwest Territories, a meeting of all stakeholders involved in caribou management here in the Northwest Territories. It’s one group, the department might be with one group, another group, and another group. They just don’t all come together and put all their cards on the table and discuss the issue of caribou management. I think it’s incumbent upon the Minister to try to get us to that stage where people can come under one roof and discuss caribou management.

Mr. Speaker, the next question I’ve got for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of ENR, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. It goes back to a statement I made in the House last February and one I made again today, that is my concern over the management of caribou in the Northwest Territories. The first question, and the concern is out there, is why hasn’t there been a meeting of all stakeholders concerned and that are involved in the management of caribou in the Northwest Territories? I’d like to ask the Minister that direct question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to discuss the issue of caribou management in the Northwest Territories and how our government seems to be avoiding some very important steps along the way. In February of last year, the Bathurst caribou management plan was tabled in this House. It is very clear what caribou provide to us and their overall importance, as they have been ever since man first set foot here; to our culture, our way of life, our economy and our identity. My concern last year was the fact that we need a comprehensive, coordinated approach to caribou management. The government...

Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, like I mentioned earlier, it’s long overdue and I think it will be much of a benefit to the park staff that’s out there that this amendment is in place and I’d much prefer amendments like this that give our employees some more things to work with in the field rather than us building, you know, big fences and things like that to try to corral people and go at it that way. I think this is much more useful.

In the Minister’s opening remarks he doesn’t really get down to saying that parks officers will actually be able to issue tickets under the Parks Act...

Same.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister says that, you know, a meeting of stakeholders will take place soon, but he already has a caribou management plan in the absence of a meeting like that taking place. That causes me a great deal of concern that people have not been able to come together to come up with a plan jointly. I’d like to ask the Minister, you know, will he revise this management plan if he can get all the stakeholders under one roof? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.