Merci, Monsieur le President. It's Valentine's Day and I want to send some love to our colleagues on the other side.
On September 2nd, 2022, Cabinet significantly reduced the size of the land withdrawal for the reindeer grazing reserve. It’s hard to tell how big the reductions are as there are no publicly available maps or calculations. But it has to be at least 75 percent. The reindeer grazing reserve and land withdrawal were first established in 1933 and then significantly expanded in 1952. I acknowledge that GNWT did consult the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in while reviewing the land withdrawal. I'm not against reviewing all of this but there should be a fair and transparent process as well.
The map I have seen of this significant land withdrawal reduction also shows how the Inuvialuit land selections, and possibly Gwich'in land selections, were constrained by this reindeer land withdrawal that was in place. It appears they weren't allowed to make land selections in there. Presumably the land withdrawal served some useful purpose back then. I am still trying to figure out what the actual reasons were for this land withdrawal reduction. When I did an internet search, one of the first items to pop up was a 2014 Canadian Press story about how the Conservative federal government planned to reduce the land withdrawal to facilitate oil and gas development. That was according to documents obtained under access to information.
It looks like the Conservatives were not able to make these changes before they fell out of power in 2015 and devolution took place. It appears that GNWT has now finished that work begun by the Conservatives in reducing the size of the land withdrawal. Mr. Speaker, I will table that news story later today.
Perhaps the other reason for the reduction was the Inuvik Wind Turbine Project where GNWT did not want a little matter like a land withdrawal for conservation purposes to delay the project in any way. Rather than consult and make appropriate changes, GNWT continues to deny that that land withdrawal and designation actually means anything. Why should our government be constrained by plans or conservation areas anyway? I have lots of questions on why and how the land withdrawal for the reindeer grazing reserve was significantly reduced in size by this Cabinet. I am sure the Minister of Lands is looking forward to those questions later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Order. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
