Robert Hawkins

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. Well, I personally think that’s a shame that we don’t know solid numbers of what we’re talking about. So, Mr. Speaker, referring back to my Member’s statement, I had spoken about a couple of options before we implement this strategy. So I’ll name them quickly. First, let’s get the real numbers out before we react. Second, let’s create a strategy to have unused tags returned to the department as in a deposit or return fee. Third, let’s create a progressive step so people can get a third and fourth tag at an increased cost. Would the Minister consider these as reasonable...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Judith Knapp. She is a wonderful friend and a constituent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is about Caribou Forever. The report tells us that 40 to 86 percent of the caribou have disappeared over the past five years. Are the caribou restrictions addressing the real problem? Or, Mr. Speaker, do we just react rashly to an emergency situation that should have never started? Resident hunters are being singled out, Mr. Speaker. With the lack of numbers on how many caribou are really being taken, are we really solving the problem? We don’t have solid numbers on the wolf population. We don’t know for sure what the real reason is...

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Minister. Anything further, Mr. Pokiak?

Thank you. I should underscore that, although it was significantly close, the special warrant was well within the rules which is 14 days before, of course, this session. I just found it surprising that it is very close to that little period, if it was approved through their administrative Executive Council process through FMB, if it had been delayed a week, the approval, it would have gone through the Legislative Assembly through the normal process without requiring a special warrant. That is not to question the value of the project that is being considered or being taken care of here....

Thank you, Minister Roland. Minister Miltenberger, please.