Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Referring back to my Member’s statement today, I will have questions for the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, specific to the groups of GHL, resident, commercial harvesters, and non-residents, can the Minister tell us today, by breaking out individual groups, how many caribou each individual group takes yearly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for ENR, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we can tell you how many tags are given to the outfitters, how many resident tags we issue, and in terms of the subsistence aboriginal harvest, we don’t have any clear numbers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

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 steps to consider before we implement this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have the caribou strategy, which is a longer-term document. We have the interim measures, which as well speaks to some immediate actions that we’re going to take. We already have committed and we have the resources to do the counts of the animals this coming spring/summer. As well, we’re going to look at wolf predation and we will gather again in the fall when the information is in and we will see what other options possibly have to be looked at, once we know the numbers and if they’ve been verified or they’ve changed. I indicated when we started this process that these interim measures are not a singular event, but this is a process we’re engaging that’s going to be evolving in the coming months. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again the Minister has reaffirmed that we’re implementing a strategy with…(inaudible)…nobody wants wasted meat, whether they’re a GHL holder or they’re a resident or a non-resident. Nobody wants to make honest people do dishonest acts, in case we hit a cow instead of a bull. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister going to do when the mistake factor happens when someone either shoots a cow by accident or they shoot two caribou when they only have one tag? What are we going to do about the honest factor? Thank you. Honest mistake factor, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do, in fact, have numbers. We have enough information that under the precautionary principle, we are compelled and I believe are compelled to act and err on the side of caution and conservation, which is what we are doing. In this process and time of transition of course, Mr. Speaker, we are going to recognize there may be some start-up glitches and an occasional case of mistaken identity. This is an issue of working with the users and the stakeholders to sustain the herds and to educate all the people involved on the new processes and we intend to approach it that way. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

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 opposition, so would he consider bringing these regulations back to MLAs and discuss these before they implement them in the back room sometime in the next couple months? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 500-15(4): Caribou Management Policies And Procedures

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we shared with the Members the nine pages of interim measures that laid out in great detail the consultation that we have undertaken with the co-management boards up and down the valley. We’ve met with the barren-land outfitters, the Metis from the South Slave, the Yellowknives, as many other people as we can. But we’ve been working very, very closely and we have done due diligence when it comes to consultation and we are going to continue to do that. There’s been, for the most part, significant support and recognition that there is an issue and a problem and that we’ve taken the right measured steps and we have a plan that’s going to allow us to move forward. Thank you.