Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to speak in support of this motion. I want people to know truly that, as the Member for Monfwi has said, this is about fair treatment. This is about respect for the elders. This is about showing that we care about their valued work and we do not believe this motion…This motion says we do not believe that their work should be undervalued. It should be appreciated for what they do. This will not break this government to take this into consideration and I certainly hope that this government is listening and I certainly hope the Premier will allow Members of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At least the Minister is consistent. I didn’t get an answer on that. So if a hunter goes out there, shoots a cow, what happens to this guy? Does he lose his truck, does he lose his gun, does he go to jail for two years? What happens if an honest mistake is made and an honest hunter is faced with the choice of hiding the meat or ignoring it? What happens? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to continue to ask questions to the Minister of ENR regarding the caribou problem as I see it. In the Minister’s own words, we don’t know the exact numbers out there, but I propose positive suggestions out there, such as issuing a third and fourth tag to potential hunters who want these. So would the Minister consider those ideas and come back with a response? It’s a positive suggestion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again the Minister has reaffirmed that we’re implementing a strategy with…(inaudible)…nobody wants wasted meat, whether they’re a GHL holder or they’re a resident or a non-resident. Nobody wants to make honest people do dishonest acts, in case we hit a cow instead of a bull. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister going to do when the mistake factor happens when someone either shoots a cow by accident or they shoot two caribou when they only have one tag? What are we going to do about the honest factor? Thank you. Honest mistake factor, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Referring back to my Member’s statement today, I will have questions for the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, specific to the groups of GHL, resident, commercial harvesters, and non-residents, can the Minister tell us today, by breaking out individual groups, how many caribou each individual group takes yearly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. If we had been more proactive than reactive, we could have started earlier to find gentler solutions to this problem. Maybe we could be reducing five tags down to four. Mr. Speaker, just because two tags may be adequate for some hunters; it may not be adequate for all families, Mr. Speaker. So it seems clear to me we found a solution but yet we still don’t know what the real problem is, so we are reacting.

We need to know what is happening before we put unfair and unreasonable restrictions on people. I have questions about the magic bullet...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the GNWT compare consolidated budgets beginning with the 2008-09 budget cycle. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am going to briefly outline the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight comments. We tabled Committee Report 8-15(4) on February 24th and it has to do with the Auditor General’s overview of March 21, 2002 to 2003.

In brief, Mr. Chairman, the Auditor General’s report on other matters consisted of several areas, but specifically it touched on areas of the NWT Housing Corporation with shipment of housing to Alaska. Committee members were concerned about that. It also consisted of diamond loan guarantees, consolidated budgets, Mr. Chairman. I will now...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I appreciate the passion that the Minister comes forward, but I mean an enforcement officer, are you telling me he has to make a judgment call? Why don’t we create a $100 tag directed just in case a cow is shot, therefore, a member of our public isn’t burdened with that type of risk of a judgment call and they pay $100 tag, which seems reasonable, because if the accident happens they shoot one, at least they’re covered? So what are we going to do to protect the accident that could happen? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that was a horrible response, Mr. Speaker. You know, his little wishy washy responses, Mr. Speaker, are quite offensive to hunters out there who are resident hunters, Mr. Speaker. We need to be very clear. Earlier he said, well, you know, we have a learning curve. So he never even answered the question of what happens in an honest mistake. What if a hunter, a resident hunter shoots a cow instead? I need a clear response what the Minister is going to do and instruct his enforcement staff when that case happens, because it will happen.