Debates of June 5, 2006 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of ENR, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. It goes back to a statement I made in the House last February and one I made again today, that is my concern over the management of caribou in the Northwest Territories. The first question, and the concern is out there, is why hasn’t there been a meeting of all stakeholders concerned and that are involved in the management of caribou in the Northwest Territories? I’d like to ask the Minister that direct question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been extensive meetings and consultation across the Northwest Territories on the issue of caribou management. We just recently prepared and released an NWT Barren-ground Caribou Management Strategy that links all the pieces, the work that’s been done on the differing herds. As we speak, work is underway for a major gathering, what I have also been referring to publicly for the past couple months as a caribou summit. In the coming year, once all the information is in from all the various censuses that are currently underway, and surveys. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I haven’t seen the type of coordination the Minister speaks of. All I see is study one herd and another herd and try to bring it all together. I think what really needs to happen here is an all-encompassing, a comprehensive look from the east to the west, and that includes multi-jurisdictions, and have a look at the management of caribou in North America. I think that’s the important thing here. I think we just keep spinning our tires, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister specifically where the resources -- and I’m talking about the financial and human resources -- are going to come from to come up with the surveys that he talks about and to carry out the work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’ve been working very diligently here for almost a year on this particular issue. We’ve been consulting. It’s a question of us getting our own house in order, getting our numbers clear, getting within the Northwest Territories a consensus on first the situation and then looking at recommendations and next steps. We as well have been in contact with our other jurisdictions, with Nunavut, with the Yukon, with Alberta, with Saskatchewan, on these issues as well. But before we launch into some major interjurisdictional gathering, we have to do our own homework which is what we’re doing. We have to get buy-in from all the stakeholders in the Northwest Territories. We’ve been using some of our existing funding. As well, we were given supplementary appropriation last year to keep the work going. As well, we’re building in additional funding in the business planning process that is currently underway right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge there has never been, even in the Northwest Territories, a meeting of all stakeholders involved in caribou management here in the Northwest Territories. It’s one group, the department might be with one group, another group, and another group. They just don’t all come together and put all their cards on the table and discuss the issue of caribou management. I think it’s incumbent upon the Minister to try to get us to that stage where people can come under one roof and discuss caribou management.

Mr. Speaker, the next question I’ve got for the Minister, in terms of consumption, and that’s a big part of the caribou management plan that he unveiled late last year, I’m wondering if he believes the government or if he’s satisfied that his department is getting all the information from the mines, the outfitters, and the aboriginal groups in terms of consumption of caribou? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first to the issue of a gathering of the stakeholders in the Northwest Territories. I’ve indicated in this House just a few minutes ago that in fact we’re working on that as we speak. Planning is underway. I’ve made public announcements to that effect that once all the information is in, we are going to gather all the players together and we’re going to sit down and we’re going to look at what the information is, what it tells us, and start mapping out the next steps.

In the issue of consumption, Mr. Speaker, there are some areas that need further work. We can tell you how many tags we give to sports hunters, to resident hunters. The one big piece that is not clear and which we are working on with the co-management boards is the issue of the aboriginal harvest and that piece is being looked at as we speak, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister says that, you know, a meeting of stakeholders will take place soon, but he already has a caribou management plan in the absence of a meeting like that taking place. That causes me a great deal of concern that people have not been able to come together to come up with a plan jointly. I’d like to ask the Minister, you know, will he revise this management plan if he can get all the stakeholders under one roof? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 57-15(5): Coordinated Approach To Caribou Management

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct; there has never been a territorial gathering to discuss the broad issue of caribou and all the various herds and all the issues that are at play here. The intent is to do that in the coming months, once all the census work and survey work is in. We have to look at what the numbers tell us. We have to try and factor in the hunting, the predation, the climate change, the development issues, and it’s a very complex issue. In the meantime, we can’t sit here in a vacuum. We have taken steps with the information that is available. We have put together a plan very clearly. Once we have a major gathering, that will, to a large degree, inform the next steps and further decisions that have to be made to adequately manage this wildlife that we’re looking at, caribou. Thank you.