Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. As I mentioned, we have a problem with grizzly bears in Aklavik. I am sure the Minister is aware. I know they have the same issue in Inuvik at the moment, but I would like to ask the Minister: what steps can the department take to deal with their grizzly bear problem in Aklavik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct. We have had some incidents in Inuvik with grizzly bears, particularly around the garbage dump. I have seen some pictures, actually, of them right outside an apartment building, just down the road from where I am at. I have actually seen one out at the dump when I was throwing some garbage away three weeks ago. It has been a bit of an issue. I think the Inuvik side is not so much a big of an issue as it has been the last few years with the number spotted there, but this is not about Inuvik. This is about the Member's constituency.
I know there have been some bear occurrences in Aklavik. I think there were about 10 of them. They usually average about 100 sightings and incidents a year. I think, this year, we're down to only about 32. That doesn't take away from the problem that there a number of problem bears at the dump in Aklavik. I would have to check with the local ENR officer to see what steps that they are taking. As we get later and later into the fall and the bears are foraging for more food, I think there have been some sightings probably within the community. I know our ENR officer up there is well aware of that, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that the public safety of the residents of Aklavik is not compromised.
Clearly, our grizzly bear population is at its highest, as many people do not harvest them anymore. Will the department increase the number of tags of available and not have a zone which limits where hunters can harvest?
I think one of the reasons that they put the tag system in place was a number of years ago, when there was no tag system, there was a large amount of bears that were harvested, and I think there was a belief at that time, and this might have been 10 or 15 years ago, that, had they not put restriction on it, then that might have hurt the grizzly bear population quite a bit more. I think what we are seeing today is a result of some of those measures that were put in place to try to protect some of the grizzly bear population. We would have to work with our co-management partners, we would have to work with the Aboriginal organizations up there to see if there maybe is a way that we can increase the number of tags that are distributed every year. I do know that they do have tags up there, and the number has gone down in the last few years, and I think it's having an effect on the population. We will work with our co-management partners to see if there are measures we can put in place to increase the number of tags in the Beaudel.
My constituents want to see some clear action, so will the department collar and relocate the majority if not all of the grizzly bears from Aklavik?
That is what I appreciate about the Member for Mackenzie Delta. He just asked "will you." I cannot give you a clear answer. I would like to. I would like to. Again, I would have to work with my department, and we will have discussions with the local officer as well as the local hunters and trappers, and, if they feel that it's a problem that needs to be addressed and if relocation is one of the options, if disposal is one of the options, then, those, we would have to consider. Again, you know, I would be reluctant and I would not just send our folks in there to start disposing of the bears without working with the local leadership to see what are the best options that are available.
Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister: does had department know the cost to relocate, say, five to 10 bears? I am sure they know the price for one, but, you know, you just have to multiply that by how many bears there are, so does the department have a clear idea of how much it would cost if we had that option?
I am sure the department has a clear idea of some of the numbers or some of the costs that it would take to relocate some of these bears. The department might have a clear idea. The Minister actually, unfortunately, does not have a clear idea as to exactly what it would cost, and the Minister will commit to working with his department to find the cost and then work with the Member and the community of Aklavik to see if those can be implemented. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
