Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ENR is committed to work with our partners to implement the Bathurst Caribou Range Plan. The range plan serves to guide the GNWT and others carrying out activities in wildlife and land management. GNWT has committed considerable resources to the management of the Bathurst herd, including the range plan activities. Last year, ENR received an additional $6.8 million over five years to support actions for the barren land caribou herd, and additional funds required beyond current resources will be assessed as the range plan is implemented.

I can't talk about other boards, and that. I can only talk about the NWT Power Corporation. I do not necessarily agree that having dedicated, knowledgeable public servants sitting on the board is the right way. I agree that it's not the best solution right now. However, we need to make sure we look at it and see how we can do the governance, develop the model, so we can improve the system. We're utilizing those six people to be the board right now.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the last government, the Cabinet made a decision, to save money, that we reduce the board and use our deputy ministers, but they're not deputy ministers on this board. However, when I became Minister, the first thing I talked to the president and the chairperson about was to tell us how this cost-saving matter was brought forward and can we do a governance review, because we need to look at this. It's important to have people from the Northwest Territories, so we're looking at various options right now as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Stella Tsetso was born in Fort Simpson, April 27, 1965. Stella was 54 years old when her Creator called her home. Her parents were George Cli and Annie Tsetso.

Stella was raised at two islands in the bush and came to the community of Fort Simpson when she was very young and spent the rest of her life in the service of others.

Stella was a powerful, silent presence of love, compassion, volunteerism, and community connection. Stella lived a simple life and focused primarily on her children and grandchildren. She was extremely close to each of them. Stella continuously gave...

The Member raises a valid concern. Again, ENR is in communication with the Government of Alberta and the federal government related to commitments under the transboundary agreements. These include prior notification, sharing of monitoring results, maintaining ecological integrity, cost-sharing arrangements, and staff capacity and engagement. As well, I can tell this House that I'm reaching out to the Minister from Alberta and to the Minister of the federal government responsible for this, and we are trying to work together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Under the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement, which was signed by the federal government, NWT, Alberta, Yukon, BC, and Saskatchewan in 1997, each party to the agreement maintains the right to manage the use of water resources within its own jurisdictions, providing the ecological integrity of the aquatic ecological system is maintained. The GNWT's position is that upholding this agreement ensures that the commitment of the bilateral agreement with Alberta is adhered to.

I'd like to thank the Member for bringing these up. It's important, and he keeps us on our toes, and I appreciate that. I thank him for these questions here today. The Tlicho Government and the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board are currently working together to develop an adaptive management framework for the Bathurst herd. The Barren-land Caribou Technical Working Group has prepared a draft framework. This framework will help us make decisions by all co-management partners on the Bathurst caribou herd management, including habitat protection. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The government is currently working with our co-management partners to identify high-priority habitats through traditional knowledge workshops with elders and land users. As well, once areas are identified, the government will work with our partners to identify appropriate ways for protection.

This is exactly some of the things we're looking at. We are willing to work with committee. We're trying to understand how we can best serve the people of the Northwest Territories. Right now, I've asked the chair and the board to come up with a governance model to give us some options, and we're willing to work with committee on this as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What happened was we had a board, we needed to appoint a number of people so the board could continue, so we did that. In the meantime, deputy ministers, we're using their skill set to run it. They are actually not deputy ministers sitting on the board. They are actually regular people in there working together with the government, with the Power Corporation. The biggest challenge is that we need to look at making a right decision and how we can improve it. Right now, we have to get the board up and running, so we appointed deputy ministers in that role.