Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes an integrated and cooperative system for the conservation of species at risk to prevent species from becoming extirpated or extinct.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, be read for the first time.

We’re going to, as a matter of course, work very closely with the aboriginal governments and the appropriate wildlife boards, both at the community level and with the Wek’eezhii board. We’re consulting with the North Slave Métis and the Yellowknives. We’re going to work closely in terms of the proposed changes — the bison strategy and regulatory changes — and how to best manage the herd. There was a recent assessment done. The herd numbers are down about 21 per cent. So we do have issues to talk about, especially as the bison tend to migrate northward.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Wildlife Act governs activities in this area and the consequential Big Game Hunting Regulations; in particular, in this case, I understand part V, subsection A of the schedule to those Big Game Hunting Regulations.

Mr. Speaker, once again it is not clear to me what critical research may mean. There are things we’re doing in our planning with departments, with Cabinet, across the board looking at the fiscal realities, program needs, living within our means. There has been work going on basically non-stop, and that work will continue. In due course we will be coming forward in the next number of weeks with our business plan, and this February we’ll come forward with the results of all the work with the budget.

Mr. Speaker, it is not clear to me if the Member is talking about government jobs, private sector jobs or just any job in general. We know there is an implication to transfer payments if people leave the North. We know that if there are layoffs in the civil service for whatever reason, there’s a ripple effect in that area as well. There’s been work done over the years in terms of the government — the plan we are taking with reductions both last year and as proposed for this coming year. But we’re very sensitive to the issue of having a negative impact on the private sector, given all that is...

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

Yes, we are interested in working with the Members. This is a threatened species. There are specific restrictions and criteria that we have to use and follow. There is work underway, but yes, the commitment is that we will work through the appropriate committees as we come forward with the various strategies and proposed changes.

Mr. Speaker, there is a bison strategy that has been taking more time than was initially contemplated. That’s going to be coming out in the next number of weeks, and we’ll be able to have that discussion. We currently have arrangements with the people from Providence and the people from the Tlicho in terms of tags, the management of the herd issues, the hunting zones and how they deal with resident, non-resident and big game hunters. There is consultation about some proposed changes as a result of the Tlicho self-government agreement that is being consulted on with the North Slave Métis as...

That work is done as a matter of course. Ministers are involved, deputies, all the way down to the managers and employees. Choices are made as we look at fiscal targets. We look at what we consider fundamental, essential services, core business versus those that wouldn’t make that definition. So that work is an ongoing process.