Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. If we had been more proactive than reactive, we could have started earlier to find gentler solutions to this problem. Maybe we could be reducing five tags down to four. Mr. Speaker, just because two tags may be adequate for some hunters; it may not be adequate for all families, Mr. Speaker. So it seems clear to me we found a solution but yet we still don’t know what the real problem is, so we are reacting.

We need to know what is happening before we put unfair and unreasonable restrictions on people. I have questions about the magic bullet...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the GNWT compare consolidated budgets beginning with the 2008-09 budget cycle. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am going to briefly outline the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight comments. We tabled Committee Report 8-15(4) on February 24th and it has to do with the Auditor General’s overview of March 21, 2002 to 2003.

In brief, Mr. Chairman, the Auditor General’s report on other matters consisted of several areas, but specifically it touched on areas of the NWT Housing Corporation with shipment of housing to Alaska. Committee members were concerned about that. It also consisted of diamond loan guarantees, consolidated budgets, Mr. Chairman. I will now...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I appreciate the passion that the Minister comes forward, but I mean an enforcement officer, are you telling me he has to make a judgment call? Why don’t we create a $100 tag directed just in case a cow is shot, therefore, a member of our public isn’t burdened with that type of risk of a judgment call and they pay $100 tag, which seems reasonable, because if the accident happens they shoot one, at least they’re covered? So what are we going to do to protect the accident that could happen? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that was a horrible response, Mr. Speaker. You know, his little wishy washy responses, Mr. Speaker, are quite offensive to hunters out there who are resident hunters, Mr. Speaker. We need to be very clear. Earlier he said, well, you know, we have a learning curve. So he never even answered the question of what happens in an honest mistake. What if a hunter, a resident hunter shoots a cow instead? I need a clear response what the Minister is going to do and instruct his enforcement staff when that case happens, because it will happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I have to say caution should have started maybe five years ago because we have declining herds and the Minister’s document basically tells me the last survey we had done on the caribou herd was in 2000 and some had not been surveyed for well over a decade. Mr. Speaker, we have two herds that have not even been surveyed, so we’re still dealing with unknowns. So yet again we’re acting without knowing the facts. So, Mr. Speaker, noting all my objections and noting the objections of fellow Members like Mr. Villeneuve, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is seeing all this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, the issue of mandatory reporting, mobile voting for things like people at seniors' homes and hospitals, some of those are the issues that have been drawn out through some type of electoral reform. Is the Minister saying today that we have to wait for the NWT municipalities to put forward a request for any type of electoral reform, or can he hear me today on these types of matters? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Committee. Page 20, Municipal and Community Affairs, capital investment expenditures, regional operations, not previously authorized, $874,000, total department, $874,000. Committee?

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Roland, please.