Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Return to Mr. O’Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the work that is going to be done this year. I am wondering about the next couple of years after that. Is there a longer term plan or commitment from the department to continue to expand the hydrometric network? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Ms. Kelly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. There has been an assessment done of priority monitoring stations. As resources become available, we will of course look at those stations in the future. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly?
Thanks for the answer. I will try to work with the department to continue to expand that network. The last question I had, Mr. Chair, is contract services: there is quite a large increase there from the previous year. What is that additional money going to be used for? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Ms. Craig.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I refer back to the comments made by Dr. Kelly earlier regarding the transboundary and water stewardship funding, where we moved contribution funding into O and M and contracted services is one of the areas where we moved those funds. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Craig. Mr. O’Reilly.
Sorry. One more. I just didn’t know where to ask this question in other sections. We are supposed to be talking about water, but I understand the department is also developing some air quality regulations. Just wondering if the Minister can provide a bit of a status report of where that work is at. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Ms. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The expectation is that the framework for air regulations will be going out for engagement this month. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly.
No thanks, Mr. Chair. That is good news. I appreciate the responses. Thanks.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Any further questions to page 99? Activity total, $11,475,000. Are we agreed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. That brings us to page 103. Environment and Natural Resources, wildlife, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $14,957,000. Committee, we will defer this page and turn to page 104. Wildlife, grants, contributions and transfers, information item. Any questions, committee? Mr. Vanthuyne
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will just go back to the previous page under grants, contributions, and transfers. A question there first in that we are allocating $574,000 down roughly about $50,000 or $60,000 from the year previous, but down significantly from 2014-15. I am wondering just in general if the department has a comment with regard to that effect. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The majority of that funding is on two big initiatives. One of them was the grants and contribution for the completion of the Wildlife Act and the second area is the grants and contribution that went towards the Barren-ground Caribou Strategy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. Vanthuyne?
MR. VANTHUYNE: Thank you, Mr. Chair. That might help explain a little bit. Then I guess on page 104 under contributions, the Wildlife Management
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That reduction is a contribution that we had to the Prince Albert Grand Council for caribou monitoring work in northern Saskatchewan, and we’re hoping to work with the Grand Council to find other alternative funding to cover that reduction. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. Vanthuyne? Mr. O’Reilly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve noticed that, on this page, the caribou strategy work, there was $627,000 expended back in 2014-15 but nothing last year and nothing in the budget for this year. Is there some other place in the budget where work related to caribou is found? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In 2014-15, the $627,000 was for grants and contributions for the Barren-ground Caribou Strategy. That strategy sunsetted, and we no longer have that funding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly?
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Surely, though, we must be spending some money on caribou by ENR. I know they are developing a Bathurst Caribou Herd Range Plan. They have some aerial surveys that they work with the Government of Nunavut on the calving grounds, so is the money for that work found somewhere else in here? Or am I just not seeing it somewhere? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the money is found elsewhere in the department to carry out some of the work the Member identified. We know that around every three years the large surveys are undertaken, so we then look at other programs in the department to undertake those surveys. Then, on the off years, we go back and the money for the other programs is used for processes such as surveys, monitoring, et cetera, for other species. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly?
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just wanting to go back to the Minister’s introductory remarks for the department, and there was a line in here that ENR “will continue to collaborate with Aboriginal governments, comanagement boards and neighbouring jurisdictions to protect and conserve our barren-ground and boreal caribou populations and their habitat, as well as other wildlife species.” There has been some public concern expressed about resource development in calving grounds for barren-ground caribou herds, and those calving grounds are found in Nunavut. What is the position of the GNWT with regard to resource development in the calving grounds of barren-ground caribou? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The position of the GNWT over the last number of years regarding calving grounds for barren-ground caribou is that we are not supportive of developing calving grounds. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly?
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just to follow up on that, so when there is an environmental assessment of a project going on, or a wildlife management plan, or something that’s being developed on the Nunavut side of the boundary, does our government actually express those views to co-management bodies or governments on the other side of the boundary on a regular basis? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Mr. Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The answer is yes. Through the environmental assessment processes, we do come forward with that message. Currently the Nunavut Land Use Planning Board is undertaking hearings as well and, again, our message through that process is consistent. As well as through other hearings; there are hearings coming up next week with the Nunavut Land Use Planning Board… Wildlife Management Board, sorry. Again, our position remains consistent there as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Campbell. Any further questions, Mr. O’Reilly?
Thanks, Mr. Chair. No. I do want to commend the department for bringing forward that position. I think it’s really important for residents here that continue to rely on caribou that we have a very strong, consistent position on that. I really encourage the department to continue to bring that forward, and thank them for their work to date. Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O’Reilly. Good comment. Next we have Mr. Nakimayak.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m on number three, disease contaminants. You know, in my region, we rely heavily on blue whales, on fish, and on ocean-bearing, sea-bearing mammals. I was just wondering if there is any type of research going on with the amount of mercury, and also the amount of parasites within caribou on land-based and sea-bearing mammals. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nakimayak. Ms. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is ongoing work through programs like the Northern Contaminants Program and the extensions from the Arctic Net Program as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Any further questions, Mr. Nakimayak?
One more, Mr. Chair, thanks. I see the Wildlife Management Board, there is quite a drop from $223,000 to $118,000. Can the Minister or his staff explain that please? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nakimayak. Ms. Kelly.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’s a decrease of $60,000 for supporting the Prince Albert Grand Council for the caribou work in Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Kelly. Any further questions, Mr. Nakimayak?
