Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement today I outlined and shared my concerns with cuts to ENR's budget. I would like to just start by asking the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources whether these cuts have impacted our ability to react to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we went through the reduction exercise of a couple of years ago, the department felt that they were able to continue to do the high-quality work that they do with the budget that they have. We have been fortunate that we have been able to tap into a lot of federal money that has been coming forward, allowing us to keep doing the work that we do. We are through the reduction exercise and, as we move forward and the departments start coming forward with some new initiatives, I am sure that the department will look at this as an opportunity to refocus and gear the new initiatives more toward climate change and the mitigation and the adaptation to it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for the reply. Many Northerners are genuinely concerned that we are not investing enough in the caribou, that the department absolutely needs to do more. With the recent announcement with regard to the Tlicho all-season road, I would like to know: can the Minister tell us what the government is planning to do to ensure that the boreal caribou are protected and are going to thrive again?
In discussions with a lot of our Aboriginal partners, we understand their concern with the caribou and the caribou numbers and the work that has gone on with them. I know that we are close to finalizing an agreement with the federal government on section 11 funding, and the plan is that we are hoping that we are in the position to make an announcement during this session. I am sure that Members will be pleased with the announcement when it does come out.
Thank you to the Minister for the reply. We are obviously going to look forward to hearing the announcement. Of greater concern to the residents of Yellowknife North, and in particular in the North Slave region, is the decline of the barren-ground caribou. Similar to the last question, can the Minister tell this Assembly what we are doing to ensure that the caribou population of the Barren Grounds will rebound?
In our discussions, again, with our Aboriginal partners and hearing from people across the Northwest Territories, they are very concerned with the declining caribou numbers. I think that we shared the numbers with you, especially on the barren-ground caribou, where the numbers dropped dramatically. Building on those discussions, I have actually directed the department to develop a plan to improve our monitoring, develop and implement mitigation plans, involve our Aboriginal partners, and improve the science related to the barren-ground caribou herds that are currently facing population challenges in the NWT. As we get close to finalizing the plan, I will be sharing it with committee, get some input from committee and, if needed, come forward with a supplementary appropriation.
I have directed the department to do a lot of work on this, because it is something that we have heard from the folks during our tour of the Tlicho, for example, and their concerns. We thought that we needed to start making some significant investment into the protection of the caribou herd.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his reply. The Minister didn't mention this, but we are aware that the department has also put out, recently, an incentive with regard to hunting and trapping wolves in an effort to also have some positive impacts on rebounding of the caribou, but there have been some concerns shared with regard to that particular program. Some folks are fearful that this is going to have a stream of inexperienced hunters start to line up to go out trying to hunt wolves. That may even result in some public safety issues. I am wondering: can the Minister share with us what the wolf incentive program is entailing, and has the Minister given any consideration to the concerns that folks have been raising? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In going back to the tour that we had through the Tlicho, we spoke to a number of elders there, and these are folks who have lived amongst the caribou their whole life. They provided us with some insight, wolves being some of the main predators of the caribou herd.
I have read the story, as well, where we have somebody from basically outside the country telling us that our program is not going to be effective, and somebody from southern Canada telling us that our program is not going to be effective, but I am listening to those who have a Master's degree in the environment, who have lived amongst caribou and wolves their whole life. Those are the ones whom we listened to, and those are the ones whom we should listen to. They were telling us that the wolves were a problem, so we have come forward with the wolf incentive.
We have our folks who are actually out in the area. They are monitoring the hunters who are going out, making sure that nobody actually brings wolves into the area and says that they shot them there. We are monitoring quite closely. As far as inexperienced hunters go, it is a significant distance that they have to go, and I think that the more experienced, well-qualified hunters will be out there. We have heard from hunters that it has been a good incentive for them to go and get the wolves, as well. Again, it goes back to listening to what the elders are telling us throughout the Tlicho. They have told us that wolves are a problem, they would like to see that addressed, and we have listened to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
