Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges for this part of the country is there is no harvest management plan for the Bathurst herd. We know that back in 2006, when the numbers were about 100,000 to 120,000, the red flags were raised. Three years later, we’re down to around 30,000 animals. We are now in what I would call the red zone. There is a requirement for constructive action, which we have taken. We recognize the need to accommodate that. We have done that. We recognize there’s an impact on businesses. ITI is working with that. There are funds in the budget to help...

With the Tlicho, my understanding is that they’ve had at least two, if not more, successful community hunts already outside the no-hunting zone. We’ve worked with the communities. We’ve gone out. They’ve harvested caribou. We’ve assisted them. They’ve brought the caribou back to the communities to be passed out to all the members and it’s been a very successful, cooperative process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have offered some suggestions and alternatives to the Yellowknives. We’ve also taken the liberty of doing a survey through the Chief Drygeese territory to see what animals, what caribou may be available outside of the no-hunting zone. That work has been done. We are committed, when they get to us, to see where we can go and try to find that common ground. Thank you.

We should be clear: there is a distinct difference. The compressed circumstances arising around this emergency situation. But over the normal course of events we have a full consultation process as a government, as ENR. I would just point all the way up north and work our way down the valley with the Inuvialuit, with the Gwich’in, with the Sahtu, the Tlicho process is underway. We have spent millions when it comes to consulting and involving all the aboriginal governments with water, with the Species at Risk Act. We’re doing the same with the Wildlife Act. On a regular, ongoing basis, with all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the issue of the Interim Emergency Measures, it was a very compressed time frame and efforts were made -- every effort, I would suggest -- to try to make sure we consulted with the aboriginal governments, both Tlicho and the Yellowknives as well as the folks around the lake that were users of the herd.

Mr. Speaker, everything I have seen indicates to me that there is no amount of sustainable harvest on the Bathurst that will allow the herd to survive at this point. We have made other arrangements. We have had and do have offers to help hunt outside the no-hunting zone. There are a couple of herds that, for this year at least, can sustain some extra harvest, the Bluenose-East and the Ahiak. Our hierarchy is set up. When there are restrictions, we start with removing the commercial harvest, the outfitters, the resident tags, and we work very hard and long to protect the aboriginal harvest...

There were some clear signals given when the outfitters’ tags were initially reduced. The signals got worse as the census information came in. Once again, I’ll point out the complexities and challenges in this part of the Northwest Territories where you have the Tlicho Government with their Wekeezhii process and unsettled claims areas sharing and harvesting from the same herd along with other stakeholders from the south. There was no clear consensus and plan. We’re now past the point of being able to take a long, thoughtful look at this. There was a requirement for action to protect the herd...

Our offer has been there from the start to assist the Yellowknives to ensure that they have an opportunity to exercise their right to harvest in areas outside the zone so that we can continue to protect the Bathurst herd during this very critical year. There is other work underway. We’re waiting to have some feedback from them, but we are committed to trying to resolve that issue with the Yellowknives. Thank you.

Thank you. I’ll reiterate my commitment and information that I gave when the Member from Hay River South asked the questions. We have discussions underway. We have agreement with the Northwest Territories Metis. The Tlicho Government has supported our efforts for conservation. We have, and continue to have, dialogue and some clear proposals up for discussion with the Yellowknives and we are committed to hopefully resolving this issue in the not-too-distant future. Thank you.

Thank you. We are not talking about restricting or removing any rights, we are talking about conservation, we’re talking about an accommodation with the aboriginal governments to ensure that their people have access to subsistence harvest. There is agreement by the Tlicho, support by the Tlicho, support by the Metis Nation. We are working on a resolution with the Yellowknives. We are interested in resolving this. The Members in this House now have become legal scholars, well scripted with legal questions from vast talk and smooth-talking lawyers and that’s not our job. If there’s a question...