Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 16, Tobacco Control Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have the caribou strategy, which is a longer-term document. We have the interim measures, which as well speaks to some immediate actions that we’re going to take. We already have committed and we have the resources to do the counts of the animals this coming spring/summer. As well, we’re going to look at wolf predation and we will gather again in the fall when the information is in and we will see what other options possibly have to be looked at, once we know the numbers and if they’ve been verified or they’ve changed. I indicated when we started this process that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We believe we have laid out a reasonable approach. We’re going to work to implement it, lay out all the detail that we will transmit to the public and to the Members and that’s the approach that we’re going to take. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listen very carefully to all the Members’ questions and I try to respond in a clear decisive way. He asked some questions, I did answer them. He may not like the answers, but that’s different than not answering the question and I believe I’ve been very clear. If in this process we’re going to be cognizant that there are some new guidelines coming into place, some new measures and there may be a learning curve and some time to make sure that everybody is up to speed and aware of the circumstances, and we’re going to have that in mind as we implement...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was agreed that we would continue with the process and it was agreed, as well, that, as the Member indicated, there was one area that was of concern and that is if an animal has been found to be diseased it was agreed that there would be a specific site now used where the bodies of the animals would be taken to and burnt as per the requirements under the legislation and policy. So that was agreed to and it was recognized that we wanted to provide that certainty so that the community was aware and we all had the same basic understanding of how that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Then with that understanding and feedback from the Member, I would be happy to inform the House that at the meeting at lunch we agreed that firstly that the project to depopulate the herd would continue and it’s still under quarantine and considered infected, and in fact they found another infected animal yesterday, I believe. We’ve committed to meet again on the 23rd in Yellowknife with the Metis president and the chief and the Member to talk about the issue of what may be appropriate for compensation. We’ve agreed with the community that we would negotiate with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had discussions with the deputy about the need to backtrack on a step-by-step basis on this whole incident so that we can have that assurance, we can review what transpired, when, the times, and ensure that if there’s things did not work accordingly, then we make the necessary adjustments. So, yes, I’ve had discussions with the deputy and asked that that work be done. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, there’s three components to the issue of transportation. There’s the issue that comes up with highway rescue, there’s the issue of ambulance services and then there’s the issue of ground transportation within communities for non-emergency or routine access. In some cases, like in Inuvik, there is a contract with the health centre with a private businessman. In Yellowknife, Stanton has a contract for the ground transportation with a local taxi outfit and it’s a routine pick-up and delivery for non-emergent care and that’s within the purview and mandate of the authorities, or, in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a medical call and it sometimes will depend, I’m not familiar with the circumstances that the Member has raised in the House here, but depending on the type of plane and who is on it and if it is of a special plane that has a team of specialists on board versus just a regular charter. So there’s a number of factors to consider, but it’s initially a medical call. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do, in fact, have numbers. We have enough information that under the precautionary principle, we are compelled and I believe are compelled to act and err on the side of caution and conservation, which is what we are doing. In this process and time of transition of course, Mr. Speaker, we are going to recognize there may be some start-up glitches and an occasional case of mistaken identity. This is an issue of working with the users and the stakeholders to sustain the herds and to educate all the people involved on the new processes and we intend to approach it that...