Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated to the Member earlier today, we intend to have the formal letters out, signed by the CEO of Stanton, inviting the elders from the regions to gather, so that we can start this process and start the good work to implement all the different facets and aspects of the aboriginal wellness and healing that we want to see incorporated first in Stanton and then across the system as we get better at this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have about $185,000 identified in this year’s budget and there is about a quarter of a million dollars identified for next year. Part of the plan is to get the advisory group of elders from the regions who will be working with Stanton to start laying out some of the things we want to do that are currently in existence or how we are going to possibly better enhance things that we are already doing. I know in other jurisdictions like Whitehorse, they have special arrangements for families, especially in palliative cases. That type of improvement is definitely an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve met with the Barren Land outfitters, I’ve met with the Mackenzie Mountain outfitters and the issue of grizzly bear tags did come up. At this point, though, we haven’t made a firm decision. There is the option of looking at what are now considered defence kills and where grizzly bears are shot when they come into camp or are too close to humans and to see if there’s a potential offset in terms of tags. However, we have not reached a final decision on that particular issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have an arrangement with the outfitters and we’ve set some targets in terms of quotas and we’re going to continue to work with them as the new numbers come in. In regards to the communities and the impact of the potential restrictions to the access to caribou, many of the examples or suggestions made by the Member are the very type of things that we’re looking at as possible ways to deal with the issue, but we haven’t come to any final conclusions. But we do know that this is an area that’s going to need some clear, undivided attention. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February, the NWT Barren-Ground Caribou Management Strategy was released. It identified the actions this government, our partners and users need to take during the next five years to help caribou herds recover. Today I would like to update Members on the actions we have taken to date:

Measures identified by the wildlife co-management boards are being implemented.

Harvest levels have been reduced.

A two-week delay in the release of maps showing the locations of caribou has been implemented.

Additional collars were deployed during the spring distribution surveys...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We intend to be able to come forward with some clear options of a layout and answer some of the questions as we see them as a government in terms of the liability, the role of Health and Social Services, which is the ultimate end user, what role MACA plays if any, the type of legislation we’re going to need, how do we address the liability issues. As we, for the first time, will be formally acknowledging that this is a service that we have a vested interest in, we have to be able to speak to the resource requirements, how do we support communities that are doing this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’ve committed to come back to this House in the fall with a plan that’s going to lay out how we want to rationalize, as a government, this particular service and coordinate the efforts across the departments that are impacted; as well, be able to work with the communities on the best way to move forward both with the emergency response, the ambulance service, as well as the medical transport fees. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been extensive community consultation and I indicated to the deputy minister and the folks involved to keep contacting the community leadership and if we can't get hold of them, track all the efforts we've made to in fact get hold of them. So I will check with the department, but I will commit to the Member that I will have a copy of that report for him and for myself so we can go over it together before the end of this week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a Legislature we’ve always said that employees are our most valuable asset and I, as well, hold that to be true. Today in Fort Smith at four o’clock, the Government of the Northwest Territories are going to be recognizing the service of many employees with the long service awards. While there are too many to name individually, I would like to, for the record, indicate where they work and the numbers of employees.

River Ridge has 11 employees with a total of 130 years of service being recognized. The women’s correctional centre has three employees with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that consultation has been underway. They have been meeting with various groups, individuals and organizations in the community. The one group that they were having some difficulty getting it all together was the actual community leadership comprised of the chief and the mayor and the Metis president. But they have been working on this and we're going to finalize the report, but they were going over the recommendations as well as the content of all the interviews and work that was done. Thank you.