Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated to the Member earlier today, we intend to have the formal letters out, signed by the CEO of Stanton, inviting the elders from the regions to gather, so that we can start this process and start the good work to implement all the different facets and aspects of the aboriginal wellness and healing that we want to see incorporated first in Stanton and then across the system as we get better at this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have about $185,000 identified in this year’s budget and there is about a quarter of a million dollars identified for next year. Part of the plan is to get the advisory group of elders from the regions who will be working with Stanton to start laying out some of the things we want to do that are currently in existence or how we are going to possibly better enhance things that we are already doing. I know in other jurisdictions like Whitehorse, they have special arrangements for families, especially in palliative cases. That type of improvement is definitely an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve met with the Barren Land outfitters, I’ve met with the Mackenzie Mountain outfitters and the issue of grizzly bear tags did come up. At this point, though, we haven’t made a firm decision. There is the option of looking at what are now considered defence kills and where grizzly bears are shot when they come into camp or are too close to humans and to see if there’s a potential offset in terms of tags. However, we have not reached a final decision on that particular issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have an arrangement with the outfitters and we’ve set some targets in terms of quotas and we’re going to continue to work with them as the new numbers come in. In regards to the communities and the impact of the potential restrictions to the access to caribou, many of the examples or suggestions made by the Member are the very type of things that we’re looking at as possible ways to deal with the issue, but we haven’t come to any final conclusions. But we do know that this is an area that’s going to need some clear, undivided attention. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February, the NWT Barren-Ground Caribou Management Strategy was released. It identified the actions this government, our partners and users need to take during the next five years to help caribou herds recover. Today I would like to update Members on the actions we have taken to date:

Measures identified by the wildlife co-management boards are being implemented.

Harvest levels have been reduced.

A two-week delay in the release of maps showing the locations of caribou has been implemented.

Additional collars were deployed during the spring distribution surveys...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We intend to be able to come forward with some clear options of a layout and answer some of the questions as we see them as a government in terms of the liability, the role of Health and Social Services, which is the ultimate end user, what role MACA plays if any, the type of legislation we’re going to need, how do we address the liability issues. As we, for the first time, will be formally acknowledging that this is a service that we have a vested interest in, we have to be able to speak to the resource requirements, how do we support communities that are doing this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’ve committed to come back to this House in the fall with a plan that’s going to lay out how we want to rationalize, as a government, this particular service and coordinate the efforts across the departments that are impacted; as well, be able to work with the communities on the best way to move forward both with the emergency response, the ambulance service, as well as the medical transport fees. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, what my intention is, as Minister is, to maintain the current arrangement where there’s a public trustee that’s going to oversee, that the CEO’s going to report to. The JLC’s going to continue and on our legislative agenda is a review and updating and revising of the legislation that governs all the authorities and boards because it is out of date and needs work. But for the foreseeable future I intend to carry on with the arrangement we do have. I believe Stanton is functioning very effectively and the board chairs that I deal with on a regular basis seem quite pleased with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the current legislation there is provision in legislation for boards, for authorities, including Stanton. There is also provision for what happens when there is no board, as there is in this case. What happens then is there’s a public trustee to be appointed, which there has been, and that has been the deputy minister. The CEO then reports to the deputy minister. That’s the legal arrangement that currently exists with Stanton within the framework parameters of the current legislation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Joint Leadership Council, which comprises of all the board chairs from the authorities, the deputy minister and myself, are going to be paying very close attention to this initiative. As well, all the CEOs are involved through the Joint Senior Management Committee to oversee a lot of the detailed program implementation piece. The CEO of Stanton will be working closely with the Elders’ Advisory Council and there will be a representative from the Sahtu on that and they will be providing that kind of advice, so we can see how we move forward from here. Thank you.