Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, this, the third budget of the 16th Legislative Assembly, demonstrates the determined progress this Assembly has made in achieving its vision, even in the face of the economic uncertainty we’ve experienced over the last 18 months.

The initiatives we have pursued are on track to form a positive lasting legacy for the Northwest Territories in spite of the economic uncertainty. This budget continues to invest in this initiative and in others that will complement and build on our progress to date. I would like to thank my Cabinet colleagues, the standing committees and all other groups...

I’ll indicate two things. First, these discussions are at the very preliminary stage and there is no link between these two. We are looking at trying to make sure the Taltson project is able to go ahead and if we don’t within the next six to eight months come up with a way to make that happen, the Taltson project, for all intents and purposes, at least for the life of this Assembly and probably for at least three years or more will be put on a shelf. So there is no link. The issue is trying to make sure that we can move ahead on the Taltson. Thank you.

Our whole initiative is predicated and has been initiated by the recognition that we have a wildlife emergency and it’s a conservation issue that has to be addressed over this hunting period. That recognition and acknowledgement are keeping in mind the respect and can lead to respect the aboriginal rights and treaty rights and rights to hunt. But our fundamental obligation is to look after the wildlife; in this case, the Bathurst herd. Those two are linked and our rationale is that there was a gap here. There is an emergency. The hunting season had to be addressed. We took these very measured...

The Member is correct; the harvesting, the more the numbers dropped, the greater the impact of the harvesting, especially if harvesting levels stay the same as when the herd was healthy. In a state of decline, if we don’t affect those numbers, the impact is significant.

This whole process, Mr. Speaker, keeping in mind your caution about short answers, initially it was going to be worked through the Wekeezhii process, with our report to them with our recommendations, ourselves and the Tlicho Government. The dates that the Wekeezhii Board were able to do things moved, and as we got into December...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will deliver the budget address on Thursday, January 28, 2010. Thank you.

There are two key things that are available. We’ve made the offer in the Tlicho and with the Akaitcho and the Yellowknives to work with them to go to access some of the caribou in a controlled way, the Ahiak and the Bluenose-East, that we would work with them and assist them to do that, recognizing that these herds are under stress themselves, but we think we’re able to be able to manage that kind of harvest. We’ve also adjusted the bison tags so that both the Tlicho and the Akaitcho have access to a greater number of bison tags over the interim period. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re going to be briefing committee at the rise of the House and we have a lot of detail to share with the Members. But I think the big key point is I don’t think there is one particular reason you can point to. There is the human impact, there is the climate change, resource development, increased roads, accessibility, permafrost, insects, changing rain in the middle of winter. There’s any number of issues. I think one of the big points is that the human impact is probably going to be more significant than ever before in the past where there’s been the cycles and this...

Mr. Speaker, for the last four years Environment and Natural Resources has been working with wildlife co-management boards, aboriginal governments and organizations, communities and user groups, to share information on declining barren-ground caribou herds and develop and implement conservation measures. These have been very difficult decisions but there has been a willingness to work together so that this valuable resource can be sustained for future generations.

As Members are aware, the GNWT, through the NWT Act, has a responsibility to manage game in the NWT. In implementing conservation...

In my previous answer I indicated that the Joint Climate Change Committee had identified that as a priority and we’re going to be bringing back the current Greenhouse Gas Strategy and taking a look at it and start putting the process and pieces in place to look at developing what is going to be the next edition of the updated Greenhouse Gas Strategy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today we commemorated the return of the 100 millionth container for recycling since we started the program four years ago and we have in the gallery some of the folks that have made that possible. We have Luke Groscoe, the owner of the Behchoko bottle depot; Archie Black, Behchoko bottle depot supervisor; and Nini Black; Adam and Donna Pich, owners of the Yellowknife bottle depot. Thank you for all your good work and welcome to the Assembly.