Michael Miltenberger

I understand that long distance service has been impacted but local service and cell phone service is still available. But, yes, I would be happy to talk to the Member. We’ll make sure he gets this information and we can help him forward his concerns to NorthwesTel. Thank you.

If the Member would send me enough of the information, I would forward it to the department, through the office of the chief information officer, to see what option we have to, in fact, help them further their concern about filing their concern with NorthwesTel. Thank you.

Cabinet was apprised. The discussion was had. As Minister with the authority to make that decision after that, I proceeded to in fact carry out with the actions that have happened since then.

We have heard that concern from some elders, but we also know that if you take the long view that it is actually out of respect, that we’re doing this to try to get the best understanding possible about the caribou, which covers vast tracks of land and moving as only caribou know how they’re going to move, so that we can have the information to make the most informed decision both as co-management boards and as the territorial government. We do it very carefully. We do it with as much involvement of the local aboriginal governments and co-management boards as possible, recognizing that there...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The elders, aboriginal governments, aboriginal leaders, all Northerners have told us that caribou are of critical importance. I quoted part of a motion that was made in the Dene Assembly in 2007 that exemplifies and gives voice to that concern through our traditional knowledge process. I can point to some very specific things we have done. For example, on the Water Strategy we have done it with an aboriginal oversight committee. We have worked with all the communities up and down the valley. We have held workshops with our Species at Risk Act. We’ve worked very closely...

We’ve enhanced the coverage with the officers around Yellowknife. As well, they’re working in Behchoko with staff. We’ve also taken on some part-time seasonal staff to assist the officers that are currently on the job.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We recognize very clearly that this is a politically complex part of the country with Tlicho with settled claims, and the Yellowknives Tlicho with unsettled claims, along with the Northwest Territories Metis, the largest population centre, the most heavily drawn upon herd in the Northwest Territories. We recognize that this whole process we are engaged in the longer term process for our Caribou Management Plan is going to require whole involvement of all the aboriginal governments. We are committed to doing that. When we looked at the ban, we looked at the caribou...

Mr. Speaker, We have a number of… You can look at departmental strategic plans. You can look at the business plan. You can look at the Energy Plan that is in place along with the Greenhouse Gas Strategy, both of which are in the process of being updated to reflect the changes over the last number of years. We have, of course, the work that we’ve pulled together and offered to committee in terms of briefings on the ongoing work of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee. Thank you.

I’ll restate my answer a little more clearly. The Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee plays that function. It’s comprised of the chair, Minister McLeod, the Premier sits on that, Minister Michael McLeod sits on it, I sit on it, and I believe Minister Robert C. McLeod sits on it as well, and we have some of the senior staff of government as we look at how do we best put into play all the resources we’ve dedicated, as well as making sure we have the appropriate planning processes to best marshal all our forces going forward. Thank you.

I would submit to the Member and to this House that, in fact, this government has a very aggressive, very positive, forward-thinking Traditional Knowledge Strategy. It’s formalized. It applies to all government. ENR has a lead role to play, but it’s involved in all the critical work we do with water, with caribou, with legislation, with education, with health. We have made, and we’re going to continue to make, a strong commitment. We’ve invested money. It’s part of our corporate mentality going forward, and it’s recognized as a very fundamental need. Our science agenda makes very, very clear...